creative forces

Blog # 99…November, 2019

Canada’s welcome of 30,000 refugees from Syria a couple of years ago was a humanitarian initiative that had broad reaching and unpredictable effects.  I’m sure many of the individuals and families still struggle to adapt, having traded a connection to their culture and compatriots for safety, security and hope for the future. But, there are also some wonderful examples of cultural blending emerging that will, I hope, ease the transition for all of us.

Food is a universal and immediate element of any culture. It wasn’t surprising that quite early on, Le Depanneur, a restaurant in west end Toronto open only for dinner, generously made space available at noon to a group of Syrian women to cook dishes for their families. Word spread quickly in the neighbourhood and locals started turning up to purchase food, leading to a flourishing catering business.  Now, we can all share in the delights of Syrian dishes and as well, employment and engagement are provided for the new arrivals. The way the local community came out recently to support Soufi’s, the Queen Street West café that closed after vicious online harassment was evidence that we’ve travelled some distance in acceptance.

Gananoque artist Houssam Alloum’s work has been transformed by his journey from the mountains in the south of Syria to his new home by the Thousand Islands in the St Lawrence River. After being forced to leave his country, Houssam worked in Istanbul as art director for a local TV station. In Turkey, not having the enthusiasm to look after himself, he grew a beard and began to realize how people judged him and his religious affiliation by his appearance. He started a self portrait with the bottom of his face covered with tinfoil, “it’s like a mirror…I wanted the viewer to focus on my eyes…and see reflections from my surroundings because our lives are not just our own but touched by people around us.”

When he arrived in Canada, Houssam was invited by painter and gallery owner Heather Haynes to share her space and he began to meet local people who came to watch him work. This led to a series of portraits called Reflections incorporating his hyperrealist style. He’s captured 85 year old Joyce McLaughlin with his signature tinfoil on her head like a crown. “Joyce’s treasure is her memories which she shares with us, helping us to see this town and everything it has to offer through her eyes”

Encouraged to submit Joyce’s portrait for the Kingston Prize, Houssam was one of 30 finalists, celebrating excellence in portrait painting and drawing. He feels that his change in style reflects his inability to express himself fully in English. “When your language doesn’t support a deep need to communicate, you use other senses to connect to people.”

My own experience as part of a support group for an Iraqi family leads me to believe that the people of Gananoque who welcomed Houssam have also changed their style a bit.