Les Misérables Project
This Project is sketches of individuals I met in Syrian neighbourhood countries. Each and every one of them had a story, that I could find somehow related to the characters in Les Miserables. The literal art work, in which Victor Hugo as a writer expressed his disgruntle at social condemnation, and I quote:
“So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation which, in the midst of civilization, artificially creates a hell on earth, and complicates with human fatality a destiny that is divine; so long as the three problems of the century - the degradation of man by the exploitation of his labour, the ruin of women by starvation and the atrophy of childhood by physical and spiritual night are not solved; so long as, in certain regions, social asphyxia shall be possible; in other words and from a still broader point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, there should be a need for books such as this.”
Inspired by this quote I gave my ketches Project, the name. As a HUMAN and a former Fine Arts student, an Artist if I may call myself, I shall take on my part reflecting my messages, hoping that somehow it makes the world a little bit of a better place, by raising awareness and enlightenment of what is life can be for those who are Les Miserables...
Fantine:
This working-class, 60 Year-old academic lady H, who was a director of an educational institution in Syria, with poor health, did carry wood for fire in a city that is located up the Mountain, in order to provide warmth for her 4 daughters, with no support or whatsoever.
To me Her misfortunes were caused by the callousness of society, in which, her age is not very favourable to be hired, with no regard of her 30 years of experience within Education field.
The means of life for both characters were almost none existence, with life circumstances that were, to bring diseases and hopelessness.
the point , I am trying to make is:
The crucial mutuality I found between Lady H and Fantine, without regard of age difference, is:
Motherhood in which mothers' love and responsibility lead them to sacrifice the little they have for their kids, as Fantine sold her golden hair and teeth in order to provide for her Cosette.
Once upon a time, Zahra had a normal life, like all individuals in my project, who had to face the ugly reality's, through looking for a job, and met the tries of the call backs regarding her job applications, to work in a prostitution house; where Syrian ladies have been stigmatised to be prostitutes, if they walked on the streets after 6 P.m.
Meeting the Stigma of what these ladies have turned into by greedy individuals, like the ones who called Zahra back, is not only the only thing, that is against these ladies' will, but also having to choose leaving their home country and escaping to a "safe" neighbourhood country. Then, joining prostitutions houses, not by seeking them but being presented to them like in Zahra's situation, is the ugly truth that has appeared and spread in Syrian neighbourhood countries since 2011.
Cosette
The 13 year- Salam, was divested of schooling, because of her family's inability to provide other than poor basics of food and shelter, with no education after she used to be an intermediate school student back home.
Both Cosette and Salam had the misfortune of acting older than their age, because life took away from them that luxury.
Fantine
Byan was deprived of her University, like her sister Salam.
For me this girl met another perspective to Fantine's Character, where she sought an escape of her reality in seeking a husband, instead of seeking continuation of her education, like Fantine sought a way of life in which she had to take the prostitution as a profession.
Byan's husband was her 18 year-old brother's employer. The brother Ahmad, who was the only bread provider for the family, did also drop School as he was a baccalaureate Student in Syria. He was forced to replace his choice of going on with his education, with a job as a bearer for Vegetable and fruit in the markets, in order to support his sick father, old housewife mother and sisters.
Ahmad presented for me the serious life of youth, who had to take responsibility and meet the political consequences of the situation in Syria, his and his family's misfortune in life like Jean Valjean did in the Les Miserables novel; where he met the social condemnation, which applies in Ahmad's case as well, who combined street smarts with his idealism, compassion and commitment to his Family.
This family's reality and other individuals, whom I sketched in this project did draw the most severe impact in the depths of my soul.
