A unique handwritten and signed declaration by the renowned Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres (1922–1999), dated 18 May 1969, also signed by a series of other leading contemporary artists. The text is written in Arabic, in black crayon or charcoal, on a painted fragment of thick-cut paper. It is framed by the signature expressive brushstrokes of Moudarres, mainly whites, reds and earth tones. The reverse shows part of a picture by the Jordanian artist Asma al-Fayoumi, suggesting that the original paper was taken from a book containing her work. Translated into English, the inscription reads: “When art turns into a profession, it becomes terrifying in its very idea—frightening even to its creator. For the task of creation is among the most arduous missions bestowed upon humankind. By nature, man is an artist, a poet, and a warrior. Guided by this truth, we learned to love our place upon the soil of this homeland; we grew to cherish even the smallest details of this land, its subtle beauties, until we became incapable of freeing ourselves from this worshipful love. It was through this devotion that we endured the burden of the daunting mission—a long, unyielding attempt in which success eluded us. And should success ever be granted, it too would be terrifying, for it would signify nothing but the end of striving.” It was written at the time of the launch of the first Damascus Theatre Festival in 1969, an important cultural event for the region which would be held bi-annually thereafter until interrupted by conflict in the 1980s. The festival was founded by Syrian playwright Saadallah Wannous and aimed to revive Arab theatre and promote cultural dialogue across the region. The declaration reflects the deeply introspective and critical view that Syria’s artists felt towards art, homeland, failure, and their own struggle with expressing truth in a complex world. The timing suggests that Moudarres was responding to the broader artistic and cultural movement of the time, perhaps offering a personal manifesto or reflection. It came several years after the Baathist coup in Syria, ending a period of democratic rule after the country gained independence from France, and a year before the assumption of power by Hafez al-Assad, who would lead Syria until his death in 2000. Born in Aleppo in 1922, Moudarres studied at fine arts schools in Rome and Paris and became influenced by surrealism, returning to Syria to paint and teach. His work has been widely exhibited overseas, and regularly appears in auctions of contemporary art held in the region and internationally, where prices have frequently achieved fresh highs. The piece had originally been mounted on a wall in Moudarres’s studio in Damascus, where it had remained as a testament to his vision. The other signatures on the document belong to a series of other renowned contemporary artists, namely Rida Has-has, Asma al-Fayoumi, Ghassan al-Sibai, Ahmad Darraq and Labib Reslan. Sized 20cm x 20cm.
