Currently, the group of artists from Pulse of Life is working on painting the wall of a school called Dar As-Salam, in the Damascus quarter of Al-Shaalyan. Coordinator of the group Mowaffak Makhoul told Sputnik Arabic that due to the war, there are very few places and objects left in the city which please the eye.
“Society cannot develop without beauty. We create our work for education, development, and art. We originally wanted to work on the street because our daily environment is as important as a rare trip to a museum or to an exhibition,” Makhoul said.
He continued to say that previously, the team of artists did not appreciate street art, even considering it to be hostile to their culture. However, the war and the destruction that followed changed their views, and now they see why street art can be a positive element.
“With the help of street art, we can raise the cultural level of a person, and develop his aesthetic taste. It is especially important to diversify visual patterns for a person when there is disruption and greyness all around,” Makhoul told Sputnik.
“We try to make them durable, resistant to the impact of the external environment,” the artist added.
According to another member of Pulse of Life, Muhammed Suleiman, the artists are developing and implementing their work together with the Syrian Ministry of Education.
“This work on the wall, on which we are working today, we are carrying out with the support of the Ministry and the World Health Organization. Our work is very optimistic and bright, it is a visual dialogue that children especially enjoy. Therefore, we often work close to schools,” Suleiman said.
The artist Rajaa Wabi told Sputnik, "Despite my busy workload, I have a husband and children, but I am happy to do this creative work. I get strength from a dream that beautiful walls will transform our streets and life, especially for our children.”
The Syrian civil war has been labeled as the deadliest conflict of this century. Over the course of almost five years more than 250, 000 Syrians lost their lives with more than 11 million forced to leave their homes.
Now as the dust is settling on the destroyed country, civilians are returning to their towns and cities with a hope to start their lives over.
