Watfaa Wahb and Rami Alhajali graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Damascus University in the years 2009 and 2010. Like most graduates, we didn’t long ago try to start our studio until things exploded with protests at the beginning of 2011, placing all cultural aspects outside our priorities and interests.
After our constant attempts to preserve even the slightest artistic passion from 2011 until 2013, we fled Damascus to live in Beirut. From there, our journey began, as we searched for a safe place where we could express ourselves as artists. It continued for about two-and-a-half years, most of which we spent seeking ways to make a living. We found an opportunity to present our artwork on social media platforms because of the Internet’s availability. Finding few options in Lebanon, we had to get out of that psychological blockade and chase hope where it shines. We moved to Turkey at the end of 2015, where we still live in Izmir as refugees.
Today, we are trying hard to find part-time work to make a living and extra time to create more artwork. We struggle to secure a space to remind ourselves that we practice art. Voluntary humanitarian work is also a serious part of our lives, making it possible to share what life has taught us. We hope you will find in our artwork what expresses your feelings, and that it’s provocative enough for us to share our original artworks in your life.