Creativity and originality in works of the Syrian sculptor Issa Salameh

Damascus, SANA _ The huge sculptural blocks of rocks and tree trunks, which distinguish the sculptures of the artist Isa Salameh, tempt him to work on topics that suit their style, such as the memorials of the martyrs and the great figures in the squares to make his art viewable by all people.

In an interview with SANA, Sculptor Salameh said that he loved sculpturing from a young age and practiced his hobby with simple tools and without a teacher.

He added that our ancient Syrian ancestors carved the statues and dated their lives through their works that are still in museums to tell us about their ancient civilization.

Salameh indicated that the Syrian myth is his intellectual and sculptural identity, since our country is the birthplace of the alphabet, where temples and palaces were built and ships were manufactured thousands of years ago.

He considered that our contemporary art is an extension of that civilization and it is our duty to embody it so that it remains a message to the grandchildren.

Regarding the women in his works, Salameh commented that he always seeks to show her in his works as a symbol of love, fertility and giving and to focus on her beauty as the ancients had done where they embodied her in the form of Ishtar and Venus.

The presence of huge sculptural blocks in the squares and gardens, according to Salameh, gives an aesthetic value to the place and shows the power and skill of the sculptor by formulating its surfaces to immortalize the presence of great personalities in our daily life, which made his sculptures present in the squares of Tartous, Homs and other cities to glorify the symbols of the homeland and martyrdom.

He focused on his participation in “Banias Pearl “Festival, where he produced amazingly beautiful sculptures of stone and wood, including a Mermaid, the goddess of love, Ishtar and others, pointing out to his participation with several sculptures of stone and tree trunks in the” roaming Ishtar Festival ” around the world.

Artist Salameh was born in Banias. He is a member of the Union of Fine Artists, Tartous Branch. He received several certificates of appreciation and honorary shields. Salameh participated in most of the exhibitions inside and outside Syria and won several competitions in sculpture.

Gh.A.Hassoun