News from Civsy, based on generative AI tools and retrieval-augumented real time data searchOn 14 August 2025, the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus, Fouad Dahdouh, circulated a letter instructing department heads to prohibit the use of nude models in all graduation projects in sculpture, painting and engraving. The directive invoked “moral and social values” and warned that any violation would result in the student receiving a grade of zero. Although live nude models have reportedly not been used at the faculty since the 1970s, the explicit threat of academic sanction shocked many students, artists and cultural workers, who saw it as a direct attack on artistic freedom and on the integrity of fine arts education.
Historical Roots of Moral Censorship
In a subsequent Facebook post and media comments, Dahdouh claimed he was merely reiterating a ban in force since 1974 and responding to parents’ complaints about “nudity” in students’ work. Syrian artist Youssef Abdelke, among others, has argued that systematic restrictions on nude models date back to the early 1980s, when Hafez al‑Assad sought to pacify the Muslim Brotherhood by tightening moral controls in public life and education. For critics, the 2025 decision reflects this longer history of politically motivated moral censorship rather than a neutral administrative reminder.
Student Mobilisation and Public Backlash
The Dean’s decision prompted an immediate response from the Students Movement, which issued a statement demanding the withdrawal of sanctions and insisting that the independence and freedom of academic institutions must be treated as a “non‑negotiable principle.” Students at the Faculty of Fine Arts organised a peaceful protest in front of the Dean’s office on 18 August, framing the ban as an attack on both academic freedom and professional training standards. Independent media and Syrian artists amplified these concerns, warning that the measure could be a first step toward banning all human figures from student work, in line with conservative religious interpretations that forbid figural representation.
Morality, Religion and Informal Pressure
In a video interview with Al Jumhuriya, Dahdouh justified his decision by citing a complaint from the parent of a student, a dentist who accused the faculty of being “morally corrupt,” followed by dozens of similar demands that “we don’t want our children to study nudity.” Critics suggest that such parental pressure is intertwined with informal influence from religious and political actors who seek to reshape the visual culture taught in Syrian institutions. While some members of the broader public welcomed the decision as consistent with Syrian “moral values,” artists and cultural workers warned that it entrenches self‑censorship and narrows already fragile spaces for experimentation.
An Unresolved Threat to Artistic Freedom
Following protests, Dahdouh reportedly assured students that no one would be given a zero solely for including nude figures in their projects, and the notice was removed from the faculty board. However, no formal revocation of the directive has been issued by the university or the Ministry of Higher Education, leaving students and teachers in a state of legal and pedagogical ambiguity. For many observers, the ban and the lack of clear reversal symbolises the broader precariousness of artistic freedom in Syria’s educational system, where informal pressures, moral panic and political calculations increasingly shape what can be seen, taught and imagined.
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Damascus University’s Faculty of Fine Arts has become a frontline in the struggle over artistic freedom in Syria.
In August 2025, the Dean issued a directive banning the use of nude models in all graduation projects, warning students they could receive a grade of zero if they refused to comply. The decision triggered student protests, a powerful statement from the Students Movement, and critical responses from artists and cultural workers who see the measure as part of a longer trajectory of moral and political control over art education.
While the notice has reportedly been removed and informal assurances given, no formal reversal has been announced, leaving a chilling ambiguity around what students are allowed to create.
This case from Damascus raises key questions for universities everywhere: Who defines “morality” in art education, and at what cost to academic and artistic freedom?
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