I usually discuss the "Middle East" in my work. More recently Syria. There are a lot of contradictions, colors, contrasts, and really strange, unique, wonderful things in that part of the world.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I was born in 1993 in Hama, a beautiful calm city in central Syria. I spent most of my childhood there, going through really interesting experiences and meeting different people, some of whom were local artists who happened to be friends of my father.
At the age of 10, my journey outside Syria started when my family moved to Saudi Arabia. Then I moved on my own to Jordan, then Hungary and now I live in Venice, Italy. It has been quite a ride!
2. What inspired you to pursue graphic design?
I think it just naturally happened. I don't recall a specific event that initiated my art practice. I've always been a shy, quiet person who prefers listening and observing over talking. I realized at some point that I'm more able to speak my thoughts through visuals than I am through words.
So, in the beginning, it was more of a communication tool for me. Then my work got more and more attention, and it was an exhibition I participated in London in 2016 that finally took my mindset on art from a hobby to a way of life and work.
3. What themes and subjects do you usually work on?
I usually discuss the "Middle East" in my work. More recently Syria. There are a lot of contradictions, colors, contrasts, and really strange, unique, wonderful things in that part of the world.
I tend to experiment with that and see what I can contribute and add to it. I am personally really into contrast. I like the idea of very different things coming together in one frame, and that's essentially how I started with my college work.
4. What impact do you want to create through your artworks?
I think it's always fun to know what impact my work makes on different people. To me, I just want to create. I just want to share my thoughts with people, because I enjoy it.
I don't necessarily have a message in mind to deliver, however, it would be nice if my work evokes certain emotions in people, such as nostalgia for example. I know for sure that my work has evoked some curiosity among non-Arabic speakers about Arabic culture and language, and that's nice to know!
5. How do you overcome criticism and negative comments?
Some of my favourite memories since I started making art are those when I received constructive criticism, particularly from artists and people with experience in the world of art. Criticism is a lot of fun. Without it, I would know I'm doing something wrong.
Because for someone to give a genuine criticism on my work, it means they actually care enough to do so. I ignore comments that tell me what to do. I welcome and enjoy those that give opinions. It's quite easy to know the positive from the negative, and after years of getting both, I learned to ignore the latter.
6. What are your future goals?
My ultimate dream would be to open my very own creative agency/design studio and work more collaboratively on interesting projects and ideas. I would like to be fully dependent on my artwork, and not have to do some other jobs to fill the financial gaps.
A more short-term goal would be to finally attend one of my own exhibitions because since I started doing them in 2016 until today, I haven't been able to attend any of them due to visa and travel difficulties. I would love to show my work in South America, as it's currently the only content where I haven't done so. In terms of other general goals, I would love to visit more countries for sure!
7. Who is your favorite artist and why?
Hmm, there are many to choose from. I love many artists, but if I had to pick one, I think it's definitely Andy Warhol. I love how he looked at the world and how he presented his ideas in very strange, unique, brave ways.
Warhol was great because it's easy to relate to his work and feel it. It's like a free-flowing connection between the world of glamour and real-life simplicity. Warhol and other pop artists had a profound influence on my decision to start sharing my work with the world online back in 2013-2014.
Adnan Samman is a Venice-based artist and archivist from Syria. He is currently completing his studies in philosophy and political science at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Adnan's work merges nostalgia with ongoing themes and attempts to create an alternative perspective on the Middle East and North Africa, mostly through digital mediums. His works have mainly dealt with a visual representation of conflicts. Adnan participated in highly acclaimed exhibitions at Central Saint Martins, Art Dubai, Villa Vigoni, and many others.
In late 2018, Adnan founded the digital archive Syria Before 2011, a platform for the collection, preservation, and sharing of photographic materials produced mostly by travelers and passes by Syria before the conflict of 2011. The project has successfully gathered a dedicated following from all over the world and has since expanded to include films and arts in its collection.
Interviewed By - Serene Ingle
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