Future Aleppo by Mohammed Qutaish, photo courtesy of Mmuseumm
Future Aleppo
May 23–September 3, 2017
This is a past exhibition
This exhibition was on view at the Skirball
May 23–September 3, 2017
About the Exhibition
Future Aleppo at the Skirball was an installation about the human capacity for resilience, hope, and perseverance in times of darkness. A four-by-four-foot model, Future Aleppo was created by a young Syrian boy and aspiring architect named Mohammed Qutaish while living through the indiscriminately violent war in Aleppo. Between 2012 and 2015, as he witnessed his beloved city being demolished, Mohammed crafted his vision for the future of Aleppo using paper, wood, colored pencils, and glue.
Mohammed not only reconstructed fallen landmarks in Aleppo, like the medieval Citadel and his favorite park, but also created new structures and amenities to improve the war-torn city: gardens, rooftop pools, bridges, roads, solar panels, helicopter pads, and so on. While much of his model was destroyed when Mohammed and his family fled to Turkey, the portion on display served as a powerful symbol of hope and imagination.
Future Aleppo was created by Mohammed Qutaish, 2012–2015, in Aleppo, Syria, and curated by Alex Kalman. The installation was originally organized at Mmuseumm in New York.
More to Explore
Learn more about the installation.
Inside Aleppo: the boy who dreams of rebuilding his city
In the News
See Future Aleppo, a 3-D Architectural Model That Imagines a Post-War Syria
KCET | June 7, 2017
How Skirball’s Future Aleppo exhibit shows teen’s vision, optimism
Daily News | May 30, 2017
Mohammed Qutaish’s Future Aleppo Is a Beacon of Hope in the Midst of War
Architectural Digest | May 23, 2017
Aleppo Rebuilt, With Cardboard and Colored Pencil
New York Times | December 17, 2016
The 14-Year-Old Syrian Refugee Who Built the Aleppo of His Dreams
Vice | December 16, 2016