Untitled

The present work by acclaimed artist Fateh Moudarres is a captivating example from the artist's celebrated oeuvre. Characterised by square-shaped heads and exaggerated eyes, Moudarres created works by resurrecting the Assyrian, Sumerian and Babylonian figurative styles and adapted them to form his own artistic language. In the present work Moudarres has honed and perfected this distinct style, including the addition of a totemic form in which figures are depicted one above the other. Believing that all events are intrinsically linked, these stacked figures pertain to his understanding of historical events and the links between survival, Man and God. Choosing to stack these figures in a vertical manner references the stone columns of Palmyra and the direct connection between man and his faith.

With political and social unrest sweeping the Arab World, Moudarres sought to depict the changes and problems everyday people encountered as rapid developments changed the way people lived, particularly in Syria. Having been forced to move to Damascus, Moudarres was especially moved by the life of the peasants in Syria's countryside.

A mass of peasants stand while facing out to the viewer, they are oblivious to anything else around them; a cat appears amongst the crowd, its' eyes questioning the viewer as the figures stand silent, with many of their eyes shut as if symbolically saying goodbye to Arab nationalism and solidarity whilst mourning the loss of the ideals of pioneering Modernism. A sense of despair befalls each of the figures' faces, the rich tones of a red, rust and ochre palette exemplifying an emotionally charged atmosphere whilst simultaneously referencing the landscapes of Moudarres' native Syria. Captivating in its composition, Moudarres manages to inject a palpable aura of helplessness and sadness that radiates from the canvas, allowing the work to hauntingly resonate in the eye of its viewer.