This painting draws its inspiration from Salamiya, a poem by the Syrian poet Mohammad Al-Maghout It represents Salamiya—his hometown—as an entity that is simultaneously a woman and an isolated planet, silently revolving as time passes, her condition reaning in continuous deterioration with no amelioration. Resting upon her head are historical buildings, carriers of memory and civilization, yet they also constitute a heavy burden, trembling with each rotation, perpetually on the verge of collapse. The painting portrays Salamiya within a vast, enveloping darkness, revealing her profound fragility. She is visible to all, yet access to her, or any attempt at salvation, remains impossible. “From the north, terror; from the south, sorrow; from the east, dust; and from the west, ruins and crows”—Salamiya is encircled by darkness. The crow symbols colonization and devastation, while birds travers the void without shelter, emblematic of diaspora, exile, and estrangement. Stars appear as diminutive, faint, fragile hands, striving to preserve what remains, yet they remain distant and powerless. Beneath her extends a boundless sea of tears, engulfing oppression and everything that falls from her history and civilization, vanishing into oblivion. This painting enacts a dialogue between resilience and betrayal, between the weight of memory and the will to endure, and between harsh reality and the finest glimmer of hope. ARTWORK INFO Media: oil on canvas + Augmented Reality siz: 29.7 × 42 cm Year: 2025 Country: Oman, Muscat