SYRIA: Syrian prisoners exhibit artwork

Record ID: 279222

  • Title: SYRIA: Syrian prisoners exhibit artwork
  • Date: 3rd June 2010
  • Summary: ADA, SYRIA (MAY 28, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THE PRISON ENTRANCE A SIGN OF THE CENTRAL PRISON OF DAMASCUS VARIOUS OF THE EXHIBITION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NIBAL BAKFALOUNI, DIRECTOR OF ARTS IN THE SYRIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SAYING: "We tried to push the humanitarian side of the prisoner because we know that it is wrong to show them in a bad light. They have their goo
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2010 13:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVACFFH1ROUHUL27KS11ONVSLFD3
  • Story Text: Dozens of Syrian prisoners show off their artwork at the central prison of Damascus in Adra.
    For the first time in Syria on Friday (May 28), more than 20 prisoners displayed their art works in the central prison of Damascus.
    The exhibition, held under the patronage of the Syrian Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Culture, included 160 artistic works in addition to many hand made pieces.
    The main goal of the exhibition is to present the talents of the prisoners and give them a chance to express their feelings and thoughts.
    Nibal Bakfalouni, Director of arts in the Syrian Ministry of Culture, said,
    "We tried to push the humanitarian side of the prisoner because we know that it is wrong to show them in a bad light. They have their good side and their bad side. Our role was to push the good side of the prisoner, which resulted in this exhibition. We realised that some of them have a very good energy inside them which they expressed like this (in their art)."
    Syrian Artist Mustafa Ali was one of six Syrian artists who helped with the exhibition.
    "Natural works by which the prisoner express their dreams. They dream to be outside the prison and represent something of the experience they took in the prison," Ali told Reuters.
    The prisoners spend most of their time exchanging information and ideas between one another, and many leave prison better artists than when they first arrived.
    The prisoners and their families attended the opening of the exhibition. The prices of the paintings and the pieces vary between 60 U.S. dollars and 800 U.S. dollars and the money will be given to the prisoner who made the piece.
    This is only the second time Syrian authorities have allowed the media access to the prison. The first time was in 2005 when prisoners organised sit-ins to condemn the report of German prosecutor Detlev Melis that accused Syria of assassinating Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri.
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