Syria’s artistic pedigree has long been admired — when the Mongol ruler Tamerlane conquered Damascus in 1401, he enslaved the city’s famed artisans and marched them back to his capital Samarkand. Given the country’s riches of Islamic art, antiquities and carpets, it’s hardly surprising that modern and contemporary art has always struggled for recognition. Modern art in Syria is, however, finally beginning to steal the spotlight. A wave of new galleries promoting modern and contemporary works have sprouted in the country’s main cities in the past few years and Syrian artists are quickly cementing a reputation as among the most collectable in the Middle East. Prices of 20th century Syrian art have hit record highs in recent years, with the value of some modern works rising five-fold in the past two years alone. The works of deceased 20th century Syrian artists Nasser Chaura (1920-1992), Louay Kayyali (1922-1978), Fateh al-Moudarres (1922-1999),
