Holy City (series), 2024
MENART Fair 2026

Bashar Alhroub  

A dark and deep canvas where shadow and light confront each other. The gaze is immediately captured by the golden gleam of a sacred dome. This luminous focal point stands out against a tormented, almost monochrome background. The composition evokes a tension between spirituality and material reality. The shades of black and gray create a dense atmosphere. The brushstroke seems to hesitate between architectural precision and abstraction. The contrast emphasizes a solemn solitude at the heart of the city. This painting explores the notions of identity and belonging through a place laden with history. The pictorial treatment suggests a fragmentation, like a memory fading or being reconstructed. The golden light acts as a symbol of hope or permanence in the face of the surrounding chaos. The artist uses the material to translate an existential anxiety and a search for meaning. The composition is organized around an irradiating center, surrounded by vague and indistinct forms. This work dated 2024 is distinguished by its economy of colors and visual rigor. The dome stands as the only tangible landmark in a nocturnal and misty landscape.