Rida Hus-Hus (1939)
The Artist Rida Hus-Hus
By Fateh Al-Mudarris
Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts
There is a unique aesthetic pleasure that ordinary eyes may not perceive—one that lies in the magic of pencil lines. Ordinary eyes see, but exceptional eyes see deeply into surrounding objects, possessing a strong and penetrating ability to grasp the essential qualities of the things among which we live every day.
The works of Rida Hus-Hus, the Syrian Arab artist, particularly in his pencil drawings, present ordinary and familiar scenes in a way that liberates them from banality and expectation. This artistic approach, rooted in academic sensitivity yet freed from rhetorical excess and illusion, produces a beauty that can only be achieved through the presence of the pencil and the movement of the human hand across paper.
The artist’s inclination toward drawing becomes especially evident in his depictions of streets in rural villages, rendered without economic or political pretense. In these works, one senses a deep awareness of the distinctive characteristics of the human environment within these fragments of land. His Syrian sensibility is revealed through the treatment of light as it falls upon the façades of traditional mud houses, evoking the simple villages surrounding the city of Homs.
At times, light appears gently spread across the wide courtyards of Homs, illuminating white walls and village homes. These scenes are not merely descriptive but carry an intimate familiarity rooted in memory and lived experience.
What ultimately distinguishes these drawings is an additional aesthetic quality—one in which the human presence meets clarity within the artist’s vision. The works are freed from direct illustrative excess, capturing instead subtle moments of gentle movement within architectural forms. Harmony and rhythm emerge in the branching of trees and in the dancing lines of their limbs, creating a visual language that is both restrained and expressive.
Author
Fateh Al-Mudarris
Syrian artist, critic, and Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts