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Reincarnation breathes new life into the symbolic power of Syrian graffiti by transplanting these defiant expressions of resistance to new locations around the world while commissioning new works in Syria and West Bank. By reviving the revolutionary spirit of Syrian graffiti - first ignited by 13-year-old boys in Daraa - this project fostered international solidarity and emphasizes the shared struggles for justice and resilience. Through collaboration between Syrian, Palestinian, and European artists, Reincarnation transformed public spaces into powerful statements of ongoing resistance, ensuring that the voices of the oppressed continue to be seen and heard. The project features 13 pieces over 8 countries. The pieces were accompanied by a QR code to the campaign website and the slogan "Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere".
More Info
If you want to read more on the curatorship of Reincarnation and also read about the first tier of the project in 2023 in Malmö, you can visit the dedicated webpage on Khaled Barakeh's website.
Lab Project
The Lab category features emerging project concepts exploring future artistic possibilities. These sketches represent coculture's exploratory spirit, highlighting innovative ideas awaiting development.
While realization isn't guaranteed, this space invites viewers to envision the potential of transformative art and cultural narratives.
Concept
Reincarnation is a fundamental belief in the Druze faith, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion centred in the Middle East. The Druze believe in the transmigration of the soul, where the soul is reborn in a new body after death. Reincarnation is an artistic project that metaphorically resonates with the spiritual belief of rebirth seen in the Druze faith. Through examining the transformation of public spaces via graffiti in Syria, the project reflects upon reincarnation, using it as a metaphor for the continued rebirth act of resistance and resilience.
The Syrian graffiti started as a movement when 13-year-old boys sprayed anti-regime slogans on their school walls in Daraa, sparking the uprising. Since then, graffiti has become a visual tool in the psychological war against the regime, evolving into more pictorial works and encompassing universal messages. The Syrian regime understood its possible implications to the point where ID was needed to buy spray cans if the government needed to find buyers.
In the early stages of the Syrian revolution, creating graffiti art on the streets of Syrian cities was nearly impossible. The regime maintained an iron grip over all aspects of Syrian life, particularly in public spaces. Engaging in such activities could easily result in imprisonment or even death. Consequently, graffiti served as a swift and decisive means of communication to break down walls of fear. Later, when the province of Idlib emerged as the most significant region outside of regime control, graffiti artists finally had the opportunity to let their creativity flourish without the constant threat of repression, and a new phase started.
Because of the erasing and destroying of some of these graffiti pieces, the project is reincarnating some of the most iconic Syrian graffiti pieces to new locations, giving them new life to emphasise the continuity of unique cross-borders, struggles, and cultural collaboration.
Image Gallery
The 13 pieces are a mix of reinterpretation by the artists of pre-existing graffiti and new productions over the spirit of the whole campaign.
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