Damascus Gallery

Bassam Diab was born in Damascus in 1976. He studied plastic arts and graphic design and today works as an art director and designer. Member of the Palestinian Artist Union, Bassam has participated in numerous photography exhibitions organized by the Union. He is also committed to the annual Palestinian "Land Day" exhibition. In 2006 Bassam participated in the "Our Environment, Our Life" photography competition at Mustafa Ali Art Gallery winning the first prize. The exhibition toured Syria, Italy, and Spain.

Friends of Fire and Metal "The city of Damascus has been undergoing remarkable urban expansion in the last few years. The new building projects offer solutions for the growing housing problems but they also have adverse effects on ancient places in the city. The Al-Manakhilije market and its surroundings create border between the Old City and the new part of Damascus. It is here that you can find many old professions that are considered almost instinct. The masters of these professions are the friends of fire and metal. They inherited their crafts from their fathers and grandfathers. The friends of fire and metal have the same relationship with their tools as the oriental musician has with his wooden lute. But without the soft hands of the lute player, these craftsmen will pick up a piece of formless metal and with their rough hands and pure strength they will breath a new life and form into the metal. Recently the masters of these ancient crafts and the inhabitants of this place are living in a state of anxiety and fear because of the new urban development projects in the city. They fear that the new expansion will take over their neighborhood, erasing forever their homes and craft."