wissamart

Wissam Al Jazairi is a Syrian artist and a member of the Executive Office of the Syrian Democratic Platform. A graduate of the University of New Bulgaria, Wissam’s art took a new turn following the outbreak of the war in Syria in 2011. Rather than choosing one of two extreme sides, he chose instead to focus on the devastating effects of war on his country and at a human level. His art is a reflection of the suffering of the individual while maintaining optimism towards a peaceful, Democratic resolution. While many of his contemporaries chose to ally themselves with one extreme side or another, Wissam chose allegiance to a principle of peace without ignoring the atrocities of war. He says, “The artist should not be politicized, but rather, he should reflect the pain and feelings of humanity and stand up with the oppressed against the oppressor no matter who it is.”
In two short years, Wissam’s work has garnered worldwide praise and has been exhibited in many countries including United States, Egypt, Great Britain, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Kuwait, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and many more. Additionally, his Facebook page has attracted over 24,000 followers and counting in the short time since its launch.
His crowning achievement was perhaps his response to The Economist’s front cover of the Syrian war. In February 2013, The Economist published a bleak front cover depicting the word ‘Syria’ slowly getting reduced to rubble. Wissam’s response was to continue the sequence by “rebuilding” the word, this time in rainbow coloring. The Economist and its readers were so enamored by his reinterpretation, that they chose to publish his version of the cover under the title “A More Optimistic Version.”
Today, Wissam continues to provide a non-partisan voice for the Syrian people through his artwork and his interviews with publications around the world.
“My artistic message is that we can create life after all of the pain and that it is not the end when it occurs in a human's life, it might be the beginning of a new hope and a new opportunity in our country's future.”