Syrian visual artist Nagham Haddifeh has launched a solo exhibition titled “In the Land of Glow and Shadows” to explore themes of renewal [1].
The exhibition translates the trauma of destruction into a visual narrative, using personal and collective memory to find possibilities for life amid conflict.
In a televised interview with journalist Lianna Saleh, Haddifeh said her work draws upon the landscape of Jabal Qalib in Suwayda, located in southern Syria [1]. The artist uses the volcanic nature of the region as a metaphor for a world that burns and is subsequently reborn [1].
Haddifeh said the project focuses on the intersection of personal memory and myth. By blending these elements, she aims to illustrate how the experience of loss can be transformed into a narrative of recovery [1].
The works in the exhibition balance the stark reality of shadows with the brightness of glow, a duality that reflects the artist's view of the Syrian experience. This contrast serves as a bridge between the devastation of the past and the hope for a reconstructed future [1].
Through her visual storytelling, Haddifeh examines the resilience of the human spirit. The exhibition serves as an exploration of how art can document the remnants of a burning world while simultaneously sketching the blueprints for its rebirth [1].
“A world that burns and is subsequently reborn.”
Haddifeh's work reflects a broader movement among Syrian artists who use geological and mythological symbols to process the country's prolonged conflict. By anchoring her art in the volcanic landscape of Suwayda, she moves beyond literal depictions of war to create a symbolic framework for national and personal recovery.
