Sana Yazigi's "Detained and Disappeared" Exhibition
Art Documents and the Archive Speaks
Reflecting a deep commitment to safeguarding human memory, the Turathuna Foundation proudly hosted the "Detained and Disappeared: Art Documents and the Archive Speaks" exhibition at the Orthodox Theater (the first theater in Homs). The event was organized by the Creative Memory of the Syrian Revolution project, in fruitful collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Directorate of Fine Arts.
Shedding Light on Forgotten Stories
This exhibition addressed one of the most painful and profound humanitarian issues in Syria: the plight of detainees and the forcibly disappeared. Through a unique artistic and documentary approach, the exhibition seamlessly merged the power of memory, the authenticity of archives, and the depth of creative expression. The ultimate goal was to resist forgetting and to preserve the human stories tied to loss and absence, keeping them alive in the community's conscience.
Exhibition Content: A Space for Reflection and Testimony
The exhibition presented visitors with a rich collection of visual materials, artworks, and archival documents capturing the experiences of the detained and disappeared. These exhibits created a powerful platform for reflection, opening broad horizons for dialogue around the values of justice, the preservation of memory, and the absolute human right to the truth.
The Symbolism of the Space: The Theater as an Incubator of Memory
Hosting this event at the Orthodox Theater carried exceptional symbolic and humanitarian significance, transforming this historic cultural space into a sanctuary for remembrance and testimony. This initiative reaffirmed the Turathuna Foundation's core message: reviving a place goes far beyond simply restoring its physical stones; it fundamentally includes safeguarding the collective memory and acknowledging the stories and experiences that have shaped the Syrian identity.
The exhibition ran from November 17 to November 27, 2025, welcoming visitors daily at the Turathuna Foundation's headquarters in the Orthodox Theater in Homs.
About the Founder of the "Creative Memory" Project
The Creative Memory of the Syrian Revolution project was founded by Sana Yazigi, a Syrian cultural activist and graphic designer. A graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Damascus University, Yazigi launched the project in 2013 as an independent digital archiving platform. The platform aims to document and preserve all forms of Syrian creative and artistic expression (including visual arts, graffiti, music, and writings) to protect them from extinction and resist a culture of forgetting. Yazigi is widely recognized for her extensive cultural activism; she previously founded the Cultural Diary (the first monthly cultural agenda in Syria, running from 2007 to 2012) and launched the "Alwan" (Colors) art therapy initiative for Syrian refugee children.
