DARBASIYAH, Syria — The Syrian revolution has given rise to an unprecedented phenomenon within the Syrian artistic scene. The political schism also affected Syrian artists, dividing them between regime supporters and dissidents amid the ongoing popular movement in both its peaceful and military forms.
Many Syrian actors including Yara Sabri, Abdul-Hakim Kutaifan and Mohammad al-Rashi expressed their opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. Rashi took part in the early protests staged by Syrian youths in Damascus’ al-Qabun neighborhood in December 2011. When Rashi chanted, “Long live Syria, down with Bashar al-Assad,” the Syrian regime and its supporters took it as an expression of the demands of Syrian intellectuals and artists.