Jaber AlAzmeh

The resurrection “Al Ba’ath”

This project takes on one of the Syrian Government’s most prominent symbols – The Ba’ath Newspaper – as part and parcel of the Baath Security State - to be a surface of new thoughts written by the Syrian people thus overturning the daily chronicle of government lies.

I began the project as a form of “artistic documentation" when the uprising was at the peak of it’s "civil society activism" phase and when the image and the word where it's most effective tools.

Portraying individuals who joined the uprising in different ways, some where activists on the streets and some were trying to help in many other different ways… Amongst them are activists, students, doctors, Journalists, artists, designers, actors, gallerists, film-makers and writers...

The portraits where made secretly, quickly and simply when I was still in Syria and in a more creative approach when I had the chance especially after I left the country.

These individuals were asked to write a comment on an OVERTURNED Ba’ath newspaper, summing up their visions and hopes for the revolution in Syria.

The Works

Exhibitions

Solo at Green Art Gallery, Dubai 2014

Exhibition Press Release:

Green Art Gallery is pleased to announce Jaber Al Azmeh’s third solo show in Dubai. Entitled The Resurrection, Al Azmeh’s new body of work presents the artist’s ongoing focus on the Syrian revolution and its effect on the social landscape of the country. The exhibition opens on 10 May and will be on view until 26 June 2014.

In his latest black and white photography series, Al Azmeh portrays an intimate setting where a diverse network of Syrians, including journalists, poets, artists and actors, voice their opinions on the current situation in Syria, and what they hope to be the “Syria” they believe in.

The series began in 2011, when Al Azmeh started to photograph people individually in both public and private areas, in Damascus and abroad, holding a copy of the Al Baath Newspaper, an important yet flawed symbol of the Syrian government. Each copy of the newspaper adorns a message written by the individual, such as, “Nothing will stop us. We are coming back home”, “Happiness is coming to our streets and homes,” or simply, “Freedom.” The result is a group of 51 portrait of ordinary Syrians and their hope for a country ravaged by war.

Through this series, Al Azmeh documents the passionate spirit of the Syrian Revolution since its onset and demonstrates that, “All Syrians, no matter where they come from, what religion they have, and what they do, are working together to help this revolution, and help Syria reach its freedom.”

Collective exhibition

• The British Museum “Living Histories” London, UK 2017

• Institute des Cultures d’Islam "Despite it all they make art" Paris, France 2014

• Forum Factory, "KunstStoff Syrien" Berlin, Germany 2014

• “Art in resistance” Munich, Germany 2015

• The Box Gallery “My voice rings out to Syria” Berlin, Germany 2015

Exhibition Press Release:

Ein Ausstellungsprojekt von Lena Maculan, kursiert von Nour Wali.
Die Ausstellung vereint Werke von elf Künstlern, die alle ursprünglich aus Syrien stammen. Manche leben heute noch dort, andere leben schon länger außerhalb ihrer Heimat oder haben das Land seit dem Ausbruch des Krieges verlassen. Die Ausstellung führt die Besucher durch das Gewirr aus Chaos, Grauen und Bestürzung, das so viele Syrer und die Welt zu begreifen versuchen. Sie beleuchtet jedoch nicht nur das Leid, sondern verweist mit Stolz auf das reiche multikulturelle, multiethnische und multireligiöse künstlerische Erbe Syriens. Sie zeigt Arbeiten in verschiedenen Medien, darunter expressive Gemälde, minutiös ausgeführte Kohlezeichnungen von Stillleben mit pochenden symbolischen Bedeutungen, innovative Kaligraphien, Illustrationen und Fotographien (konzeptuelle und dokumentarische). Teilnehmende Künstler: Youssef ABDELKE. Ammar ABD RABBO. Jaber AL AZMEH. Houmam AL SAYED. Mouneer AL SHAARANI. Tammam AZZAM. LAWAND. Kevork MOURAD. Abdullah MURAD. Hamid SULAIMAN. Reem YASSOUF. Kuratiert von Nour Wali. 

Highlights

The British Museum acquires four works from the “resurrection”

Photographs by 9 Middle Eastern artists, including Jaber Al Azmeh, have been acquired by The British Museum. The artists tackle topics such as the fallout of the Syrian civil war and the tragic plight of refugees. The UK charity, The Art Fund, supported the acquisitions as part of an ongoing initiative launched in 2009 that facilitates collecting Middle Eastern photography at both the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum.

The works are on display at the British Museum in Living Histories: Recent Acquisitions of Works on Paper By Contemporary Arab Artists (until 22 October 2017)

• TV5 MONDE Le photographe Jaber Al Azmeh était l'invité de Maghreb-Orient Express

Selected press