An art exhibition featuring a collection of artworks that Alaa has created over the past few years in his studio in London.
Caravel Magazine, in partnership with Artification, presents “Conversations From There,” a solo exhibition by contemporary Syrian artist Alaa Shasheet, running from 29 October to 11 November at W3 Gallery as part of the Y-OUR Story project.
Based in London, Shasheet is a painter and photographer whose work explores memory, displacement, and the meaning of home. A graduate of Damascus University’s Fine Arts programme in Printmaking, he later earned a Master’s degree in Contemporary Art in Malaysia before settling in the UK. His artistic journey has taken him across cultures from Syria to Southeast Asia to London, each leaving a distinct mark on his creative vision.
Shasheet’s practice spans mixed media, incorporating materials such as cement, sand, and found objects, chairs, frames, and suitcases, transforming the ordinary into powerful symbols of memory and transition. His textured surfaces evoke the walls and stones of ancient cities, while his recurring use of black reflects both his background in printmaking and the emotional depth of his work.
In Conversations From There, Shasheet presents a body of work created over the past few years in his London studio. The exhibition delves into themes of identity, war, belonging, borders, hope, and heritagesubjects that continue to shape his life and artistic expression. Through layered abstraction and tactile surfaces, his paintings embody an ongoing dialogue between his personal experiences and the collective memories of people back home.
“I often find myself living between worlds,” Shasheet reflects. “I’m deeply connected to both the place I came from and the one I live in now.” This sense of in-betweenness runs through the exhibition, offering visitors an intimate glimpse into the artist’s reflections on migration, memory, and resilience.
Sulaiman Othman, the creative producer of the Caravel Magazine, said, “Alaa’s work speaks with emotion about displacement and connection. Conversations From There, it’s a dialogue between places, memories and people. Each piece carries fragments of home and identity, reminding us that art can hold both longing and hope in the same breath.”
“Conversations From There” invites audiences to witness Shasheet’s creative exploration of identity and displacement, an emotional and visual journey that bridges geographies and generations.
Conversations From There is at the W3 Gallery, from 29 October to 11 November
