Mohamad Hafez Shares His Story at Assembly

Born in Damascus, Hafez later emigrated to the United States and completed his education at Iowa State University, studying electrical engineering and architecture. He now works for architecture firm Pickard Chilton, has opened an art studio in Westville, and exhibits his work at local art institutions.

Hafez began creating sculptural streetscapes as a college student in 2003, after he was unable to visit his family in Syria for fear that he might be detained upon returning to the United States. Out
of homesickness and nostalgia, Hafez recreated scenes of his homeland from memory. Hafez’s art continued to evolve alongside events in the Middle East; after the Arab Spring in 2011 and as the Syrian war continued, Klugman recalled that the pieces “began to reflect the civil war.” Hafez, himself, explained the interplay between his country and art, saying, “In photographs of streetscapes and bombed-out neighborhood buildings, you can’t recognize what is top and bottom. The chaos informed a dark and pessimistic aesthetic in me.”

Hafez’s sculpture is created from “found objects,” bits and pieces taken from his surroundings or studio. He emphasized that he does not plan his projects, but rather is inspired by the objects themselves, saying, “You experience with creativity until you reach a point where you are at peace, and then develop it.” His three dimensional creations, which measure anywhere from one to six feet in length, and may take up to six months to create, jut out from the wall, drawing the viewer in as the piece invades their personal space. Annie Nields ’17, who is the editor of Hopkins’ literary  magazine Daystar and a visual arts student, said, “Hafez’s works remind me of the drippy, tattered qualities of Giacometti’s figures. I want to know more about how he imagines physical space and whether or not he uses a mix of images and memories when making his structures.” Liz Bamgboye ’20 emphasized the impact of his art, adding, “I was emotionally moved. You feel the desperation and anxiety. You get a glimpse of the lives many people are forced to live.”

Last year, Hafez installed a piece in a local gallery featuring 120 paper boats; each vessel, made by refugee children in New Haven, represents sixty two people who have died during their crossing of the Mediterranean Sea between 2014 and 2016. Elise Aslanian ’19 said Hafez’s work “was powerful because the press has been able to give [Syria] a negative connotation, and Hafez’s art shows what actually occurs there.”

Jacob Wolfe ’18 described the humanizing power these works of art can have, explaining, “[Hafez’s] art makes complex issues such as the refugee crisis entertaining but also helps the ideas sink into the minds of the public.” Holden Turner ’17 said, “The truest part [of his pieces] is that he shared them openly out of necessity.”

Hafez is not the only artist who hopes that the exhibition of his artwork will create a dialogue to better understand other cultures. On February 3, less than a week after the travel ban, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City showcased works created by seven artists from the banned countries in place of other works in the permanent collection. Beside each piece of art, the MOMA included a plaque which read, “This is one of several such artworks from the Museum’s collection… to affirm the ideals of welcome and freedom as vital to this Museum as they are to the United States.”

Director of Diversity and English teacher Amanda Friedman, who played a role inviting Hafez to The Hill, hopes that the Hopkins community will continue to interact with Hafez’s art, saying, “It is when we truly get to know one another that our assumptions, our biases, and our judgments dissolve. Our resistance to difference dissipates to make room for an understanding and appreciation of all experiences as valid and valuable.”