Icarus 13, 2014

Edward Shahda  

Born in 1952, he is a contemporary Syrian painter and sculptor. He began his creative journey in 1968 at the Suheil Ahdab Center in Hama before joining the Faculty Of Fine Arts in Damascus (1976-1971). He then resided at the Anatoli Klankov Atelier in Russia (1992-1991). As early as 1980, the artist has participated in several solo and collective exhibitions throughout the Middle East and internationally, including his Hometown, Russia, Lebanon, Egypt, Dubai, Turkey, USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, and China. Exhibitions include the Biennale exhibition in China in 2005 and 2008, as well as The Arab World Institute (IMA) exhibition in Paris in 2008.

His work ranges from acrylic and oil paintings to collages and China ink on rice paper. It exposes an underlying tension in line thicknesses and color contrast. Surfaces of strong, lively colors often fade out, and blurry outlines come together to create vaguely defined shapes with color gradation. Figurative and symbolic shapes, portraiture, and female figures are predominant.

To Shahda, the human subject is the main concern in painting, and color treatment and juxtapositions are his preoccupation during the painting process. Figures are central to his painting. They define the expression of space and frame the meaning of "place". Unconventional in his representation of women, the artist is also known for his ability to create vibrant and emotional images from real-life scenes. He bends and sometimes breaks perspective rules in favor of strong, contrasting, and dynamic colors. Contrasting color with emotion, the artist often incorporates symbolism and mythology even when he tackles contemporary themes.