Artist Husam Muhajer recently completed a scale model of Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque. In an interesting twist, the finished model is composed of 15,000 wood popsicle sticks. Muhajer is a Syrian refugee who was forced to leave his country 2.5 years ago and is currently living in Istanbul.
When Muhajer was suddenly evacuated from Syria, his models were destroyed and he was left without any documentation of his past work. So what inspired him to begin again? “I love that those who have talent cannot let war and destruction stop the spirit of the artist,” Muhajer writes us via email. “I did not allow these situations to make me weak, but they gave me a force I did not expect.”
His Blue Mosque model measures 5 feet by 3.3 feet, with the minarets soaring up to 3 feet high, making it larger than the work he was executing in Syria. He was drawn to the architecture because of the building’s history, noting that his love for historical architecture stems from the fact that he was living in Aleppo, one of the world’s oldest cities.
What’s next? He plans to continue his work, citing the Taj Mahal as the next building he’ll tackle.
Husam Muhajer is a Syrian refugee now living in Istanbul. His scale model of the Blue Mosque took 15,000 wood popsicle sticks and 4 months to complete.
Muhajer's attention to detail is incredible. The wood architectural model measures 5 feet by 3.3 feet and is 3 feet tall.
The artist's popsicle stick scale models were destroyed when he was forced to evacuate Aleppo. Here are some of the few images he has of his other work.
Husam Muhajer: Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Husam Muhajer.
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