During my first visit to Syria amidst the war, I experienced
a whirlwind of emotions—grief for the suffering I witnessed and
hope in the resilience of those enduring unimaginable
hardships. This significant moment inspired me to create an
Arabic calligraphy artwork titled “Everything in My Town Fills My
Heart with Sorrow,” a line from a poem by Ahmad Matar that
eloquently captures the depth of pain felt by those who lose
their homeland and live amidst destruction.
As a Palestinian refugee, I carried with me to Syria a lifetime of
loss and struggle. In the Syrian people, I saw reflections of my
own story—stories of displacement, exile, and the relentless
pursuit of life despite overwhelming adversity. Through the
harmonious flow of Arabic letters, I sought to express the shared
sorrow that resides within us and the collective voice that
yearns for freedom and dignity
This artwork was more than a piece of calligraphy; it was
a testament to the power of art to transcend borders and
become a universal language of human suffering and hope.
With it, I aimed to highlight the resilience of humanity in the face
of war and to remind viewers that pain can be the beginning of
a new story, and the ruins of cities can mark the start of
rebuilding.
