Safwan Dahoul (Syrian, b. 1961)

Executed in an almost monochromatic palette that is recurrent in Dahoul's oeuvre, the composition echoes the fgures psyche, while the use of light and shadow mystifes the character. The choice of minimal is an aesthetic refection upon the colours of the artists homeland, Syria and alludes to a collective emotional state of mind. As such, the artist often uses the same colour palette in his work as the one he witnesses in the Syrian landscapes.
Dahoul's paintings, like a black and white photograph, convey simple ideas and refections on life. By extracting colour and reducing his palette to dual tones, Dahoul is able to express his ideas more effectively. The limited palette also adds a timeless appeal to the image, but furthermore, it transcends reality and translates an image into a realm that is neither abstraction nor realistic. By doing so, Dahoul deconstructs a scene and reduces it to its forms and tones, forcing the viewer to engage with the work and raise questions about its context and content. The weeping woman depicted could be Dahouls deceased wife or an allegorical rendition of his motherland Syria. Filled with symbolism and references to his own life and personal tragedies, Dahouls works refect upon the fragility of life and all facets of human condition.