‘A Suitcase Memory’ as expl and extraordinary artworks o

Mandy Farrugia BERLIN, 2 December 2018

An endless scream of a man holding his injured child dazed in dust, as immortalised in this very influential artwork, uncovering horrifying scenes from one the bloodiest present-day conflicts.

Seven years later, as I walk through the cold streets of Berlin, totally oblivious to the sounds around me, I try to anticipate the stories that I was soon to discover through an artist’s suitcase.

A suitcase carrying memories of a plague of brutality, bringing to a tragic end the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian people, and displacing some other millions, who since then have embarked on harrowing journeys in search of a safe home.

Among them, were most of the country’s talented artists who sought asylum in various European capitals, such as in Paris, and in the creative haven of Berlin. Here is where I caught up with Ala’ Hamameh.

Ala’ was already an accomplished artist living in Damascus when the Syrian antigovernment uprising began in 2011.

Born in Aleppo, and raised in the city of Masyah, his move to the Capital was what really shaped his artistic future. While conversing about his past, I could not help but ask him about his childhood memories, and his first approach to art.

He explained that he can only recall that as a child, he felt captive in a dream of vibrant colours. It was very clear that later, this fascination for colour held a promise of a very unique gift, which he continued to explore and develop while reading for a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communications at Damascus University.

It was here that he understood how colour can be so powerful in voicing any reality we may try to deny. A harsh reality, which in Syria, was voiced and ruled by an oppressive regime.

A reality, which some abided with, and which others refused to succumb to.

“In those days, if you wanted to be a good artist in Syria you had to follow the rules and please the Regime. They controlled all the galleries and institutes. There were no independent bodies.”

Nevertheless, while in Damascus, Ala’ continued working on developing a solid identity of his self-expression, showcasing rich and varied artistry including; painting, photography, graphic design, installations and video art.

Following the outburst of the revolution, it was impossible to continue this form of art as the regime suppressed all kind of free photography and documentaries. Not having the possibility of capturing the daily scenes of the war’s outcome, he resorted to painting on canvas. Eventually, this technique helped him to shape the very essence of his vision, and here is where his colours became the luck of violence! His canvasses acquired bright, harsh colours, which in some sense equivocated and deceived the ruthless scenes, but which in turn reflected fearlessly the ugly coloured face and viciousness of war.

“Later, in Damascus, my colours became the luck of violence.”

When the war reached its climax, following a progression of daily hostility and bloodshed, he had no choice but to flee his homeland. Concurrently, in 2015, he was invited by the Cultural Centre of Berlin to present his project ‘Dialog Tables’ at a press conference, with the scope of discussing the concept of dialogue and its meaning in the context of socio-political unrest.

Being granted asylum soon after, here is where he remained ever since.

Although Syria was the cradle of his spirit, the land of his childhood, and the soil in which all of the themes of his artwork are rooted, Germany, a centre for progressive trends, granted him a voice and the right tools where he now continues his creations by relying on his memories, who unlike many others, he forces not to forget.

Artwork and style

His exhibit appears to me as a complex poem of terror, pain and death, and while I struggle to understand through the intricacy of