Mohamad Hafez, Syrian Architect and Artist Comes to Hopkins

 
Syrian architect and artist Mohamad Hafez shared his “art and heart” this morning at an all-school Assembly. Karen Klugman, Chair of the Art Department, introduced Hafez and relayed how she and her fellow faculty members visited his studio last fall to extend an invitation to him to mount an exhibit in the Keator Gallery.  The faculty were profoundly moved by his three-dimensional streetscapes and his meticulous craftsmanship.  “None of us imagined a global conversation on refugees would be happening at the time of this exhibit,” said Klugman.  “That is the way art is when you follow your heart.  It can lead you into a land mine of relevant issues.”

Instead of talking directly about his individual pieces, which are on display in the Keator Gallery through April 7, Hafez shared his personal story of coming to the United States as a Muslim and Syrian.  He came on a student visa to study at the University of Iowa and stayed on to become an architect at Pickard Chilton.  He is now a permanent resident of the United States, living in New Haven, CT. Using found objects, scrap metal plaster and paint, Hafez started creating architectural streetscapes of his memories of home.  He found that his artwork was a way to express his love and longing for home and family.  With the advent of the Arab Spring, his work took a turn, capturing the turmoil and upheaval of his homeland.

Through the lens of his own life, Hafez afforded the community with a wide-ranging overview of Syrian life.  He presented slides of Damascus—the oldest, continually inhabited city in the world—in a startling reversal of the kind of “before and after” photos one sees on HGTV or Architectural Digest.  Here it is the “after” photos which show the demolition and rubble.

Hafez said “refugees are eager to restart their life.”  He told of his sister’s family and their resettlement in Sweden and of their contributions to village life.

In response to a student’s question about conflicting narratives about refugees, Hafez encouraged the students to be informed.  “Fear is the biggest tool in the hands of leaders.  Fear does not open hearts or arms,” he noted. “The answer is education. Refugees are the most vetted group coming into the country.  Many wait up to 2½ years to receive clearance.  Listen and learn and make up your own mind.”

Hafez concluded with an invitation to students to volunteer at a refugee agency and get to know the issues facing refugees first hand.

The work of Mohamad Hafez will be on display in the Keator Gallery through April 7, 2017.

You can learn more about his work at mohamadhafez.com

Watch the entire assembly in three parts in the attached videos. 

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