There’s more to Syrian culture than ancient ruins and textiles – the capital city is also home to a burgeoning art scene whose stars are on display at Four Seasons Hotel Damascus.

In partnership with local contemporary art houses including the Ayyam Gallery, the Hotel is determined to expose travellers to modern Syrian art. Already gaining international attention from astute collectors, Safwan Dahoul is one of the artists featured. At first glance, his finely detailed paintings exhibit a Cubist influence, but the depiction of vulnerability in his earthy tones and human figures is distinctly Middle Eastern.

Another artist popular at auction houses is Fadi Yazigi. His paintings often mix newspaper with canvas as a background for his brush, and his bronze sculptures have been described as three-dimensional forms leaping from his two-dimensional paintings.

Art by Dahoul, Yazigi and many others is on display throughout the Hotel and available for purchase.