At the Brooklyn Museum:
"part of RAQQA CERAMICS
Mohamad Hafez born Syria, 1984, lives America
Damascene Athan, 7, 2017
Mixed media, plaster, pigment, found objects, audio recording
Gift of the Barjeel Art Foundation, 2018.40a-b
Although Syria was a safe haven for Circassian refugees from Russia in the late nineteenth century, with the start of the civil war in 2011, Syrians fled the country to seek refuge elsewhere. In this work, Mohamad Hafez draws attention to Damascus, the capital of Syria and his hometown until the civil war began. An audio recording made by the artist during his last visit before the crisis captures the peaceful sounds of the city, including a call to prayer (athan) from the city's Great Mosque, children playing, and people conversing in a café. Hafez repurposed small objects in an ornate frame that is similar to those he was familiar with from his life in Syria. A surveillance camera and a secret service vehicle parked in front of houses draw attention to the danger looming over the city and the tensions between civilians and the Syrian regime.
• Provenance: Gift of the Barjeel Art Foundation, 2018."
