A Space To Help Preserve Aleppan Culture
Words by Zila Demirijian
The past few years have seen a steady resurgence of cultural events in Aleppo. Despite the radical changes the city has undergone and the setbacks they presented, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to preserve its history. Co-founders Aram Habeshian and Yaman Najeh established Orshina to highlight Aleppo’s vibrant culture, and from Orshina came Project 1500-KILOWATT — a unique event that emphasizes the importance of localization and preservation.
One of the things that sets this project apart is its location. Built in 1928 by a French private company, and located in Malek Al Faysal Street, the building once provided electricity to neighborhoods such as Al Aziziyah and Al Jamiliyya. Unfortunately, after its closure, it became one of Aleppo’s overlooked relics. “The first time I walked into the building, I called Aram and told him to forget about it,” Says Najeh. “I told him it would be impossible to do anything here.” On top of being the target of two missiles during the war, the building had been closed for so long that it had begun to lose its features. “No other location fit our standards, so we decided to take it one step at a time.”
Each one of the company’s two generators had a capacity of 750 KW, which inspired the project’s name. “Instead of providing electricity, the company now empowers the city with innovation,” says Habeshian. I visited the building a few days before the scheduled opening, and construction workers had taken over the vast space. Aram Habeshian walked me through the restoration process, which took a little over two months. Preserving the building’s identity was the main focus. “We had an electrician who told us we might need to get rid of the decorative columns. I told him that is not an option,” he says. “We kept the same ceramic tiles, the same light fixtures. We didn’t even paint the walls. It would not make sense to turn the building into something that it’s not”. This mindset was applied to the smallest details. After undergoing a meticulous and professional restoration process, oil tanks were recycled into plant pots, and cables were turned into contemporary chandeliers. Habeshian stresses the importance of archiving and preservation. “We need to be more aware of our history. We must have records documenting these buildings. We barely found any records of the electricity company.” For him, this is one of the pillars that preserves culture. “When you look at all the details – even the staff’s handwriting on the valves, the logos, the handiwork…everything reflects our identity. Everything contains a certain beauty that is rare to spot in places like this now.”
To understand Project 1500-KILOWATT better, I spoke with Yaman Najeh, the co-founder of Orshina and the founder of Mashrou by Default, a cultural project in its own right that helped shape Orshina’s art space. Mashrou By Default aims to organize exhibitions and encourage artists, mostly by giving them a space to showcase their work and by organizing art residencies under the supervision of the prolific Naamat and Bashir Badawi. “It speeds up their artistic growth, which is crucial because after 12 years of war, people started losing interest in art and culture, so we need to be faster than others to keep up,” says Najeh. “I was asked why I was bothering to go through all this. It’s because there are no exhibitions that I can go to. If only three people are interested in art today, we might only be left with two next year if we do not encourage them. But if we create a space to foster that interest, that number might grow to 10.”
For Mashrou by Default, it is important to not just display art, but to relate to their audience. For example, during one of their exhibitions, the team noticed that people were slowly losing interest, so they hired a calligrapher and set up a corner where people could get their names drawn, and the turnout was bigger than before. Far from wanting to monopolize this industry, Najeh wants others to be inspired by their exhibitions and follow in their footsteps.
Besides art, the exhibition has sections dedicated to photography, archives, laurel soap, a private museum, and a kitchen specializing in Aleppan cuisine. On top of it, there is an open stage where experts in various fields share their expertise, and are followed by performances from local musicians.
The kitchen is another gem. In order to make the experience as authentic as possible, Talal Kala’aji and his mother recreate recipes found in an Aleppan cookbook that dates back to the 13th century written by the scholar Ibn Al Adim. The book discusses everything ranging from the benefits of certain ingredients to soap-making to medicine. With hundreds of recipes, it represents the mix of different cultures that produced these specific flavors while showing the importance of food in Syrian culture.
“Cooking used to be a science. Syrians have always had large gatherings, which means you have to adjust not just the ingredients but also the spices so that the meal doesn’t lose its essence,” says Kala’aji . Him and his mother are mainly responsible for the daily dishes, and they have adopted a strategy of starting with recipes they can recreate and branching out. But it is hard to find all the spices and herbs mentioned in the book, which is where they add a modern twist. “The most important thing is we have not gotten a negative review yet. I make sure to ask everyone. And, in my opinion, the best review is that I have yet to see a single plate with any leftovers”. His words are confirmed by a friend who gives him the highest form of compliment, “It tastes just like mom’s cooking.”
At its core, this project is about localization. Local food, local products, and local art. Outside, some stalls have cheekily rebranded Pizza into Manakish Franjiyye, which is Arabic for Western Manakish, and they have introduced a new favorite: rosewater smoothies. “Why should we try to imitate others when our culture is so rich?” asks Habeshian. “There’s nothing wrong with getting inspired by what they’re doing in other countries, but we should not try to change ourselves to fit that mold.” On their way out, visitors can buy an array of local products from the gift shop – things like jewelry, tote bags, upcycled clothes, and even chocolate.
Orshina, a Syriac word for “land of peace”, is gearing up to create entities and individuals who understand the importance of culture. Project 1500-KILOWATT is a cooperative endeavor that relies on the community’s contribution as much as it does on the team. Today, it has become a source of empowerment for local communities and artists.
