Algarroba

Details

Marwan Sahmarani (Lebanese, b. 1970)
Algarroba
signed ‘SAHMARANI’ (lower left);
signed and dated ‘SAHMARANI 2014’ (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
78 ¾ x 68 7/8 in. (200 x 175cm.)
Painted in 2014

Provenance

Kashya Hildebrand Gallery.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.

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Lot Essay

“My paintings are a diagnosis of a reality that eludes me. I seek to isolate what is essential, to extract the truth, to find the essence of the moment, of the violence in action and the reality of a situation.”
(Marwan Sahmarani, Marie Marie, the devil in me has taken you for a ride, Lawrie Shabibi)

Populated with thick impasto brushstrokes and loudly colourful compositions, Lebanese artist Marwan Sahmarani is notable for his grand paintings that depict his surrounding world which is filled with political turbulence and uncertainty. In Algarroba, we earn a breath of fresh air, a flower-filled scene built wonderfully by Sahmarani to provide the viewer a sense of euphoria which is rare to see within his violently powerful and expressive oeuvre. Against a blue sky with a perfectly chosen tone, we are presented a sprawling and splendid array of bright yellow flowers that juxtapose with the deep greens at the bottom. Upon closer inspection, it becomes difficult to decipher the flower forms, as a solid brown branch guides our sight vertically through the painting. This is a nod to Sahmarani’s distinctive expressionist style, which has gained him international acclaim, placing him at the forefront of contemporary Arab art.

Marwan Sahmarani was born in Lebanon in 1970 and currently lives and works in Beirut. Recently, he had exhibitied in solo shows in London, Zurich and Dubai as well as several group shows in Singapore, Washington, DC and Mexico. In 2010, he was a proud receiver of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize.

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