Lot Essay
‘We create fictional heroes because we need role models, but the face of the Moulatham is as much about defeat and disillusion as about heroism. When I drew my first Moulatham, I did not simply read it as a Palestinian fedae, the Lebanese civil war was on my mind too. There is also confusion about the word fedae and its root, derived from fadi (redeemer or saviour) which is from fada (to sacrifice oneself)... I like the confusion, the challenge, the provocation...Did Jasper Johns encourage imperialism by drawing the American flag? In the same way, I am not glorifying martyrdom.’ (R. Issa (ed.), Ayman Baalbaki: Beirut Again and Again, London 2011, p. 13).
As part of Ayman Baalbaki's iconic series of freedom fighter portraits, Al-Mulatham depicts the profile of a Fida’i, or freedom fighter, set against a strikingly vibrant floral backdrop. In this painting, the intently gazing eyes draw immediate attention to his head and face partially concealed by a keffiyeh, a traditional square checkered cotton scarf revered as a symbol of Palestinian resistance. The artwork's imposing size and dynamic brushwork, characterized by its unpredictable expressiveness of grid-like pattern results in a distinct style of gestural painting, rendering Al-Mulatham its commanding and signature appeal. Baalbaki's art underscores the materiality of paint to unveil how an image can encapsulate a fleeting emotional moment. Exploring collective memory, despair and hope, Baalbaki’s creations are imbued with illusions of shape and form, oscillating between representation and abstraction.
Ayman Baalbaki, a painter and installation artist, stands out as one of the most exciting artists to emerge from the Middle East. Born in 1975 in Lebanon, the very year when the Lebanese civil war erupted, Baalbaki's life is marked by bearing witness to relentless cycles of violent conflict, displacement, destruction, and deceit. As a consequence, his body of work conveys the influence of residing in Beirut amidst the tumultuousness of nearly two decades of war. Baalbaki’s art is dauntless and effectual, exuding a vibrant energy that invites diverse interpretations. In his creations, despair can transform into hope, and what might appear menacing to some can equally embody courage for others.
Baalbaki commenced his artistic journey after attaining a Fine Arts diploma from the Lebanese Public University in Beirut in 1998. Fueled by his mounting interest in art, he went to Paris in 2000, where he furthered his education at Art et Espace within the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) until 2002. From 2002 to 2003, he achieved his D.E.A. in the art of images and contemporary art at Université Paris VIII. In the summers of 2001 and 2002, he took part in the Ayloul Summer Academy in Amman, Jordan, under the guidance of the esteemed Syrian modernist Marwan (1934-2016). Ayman Baalbaki's artistic endeavours have garnered international acclaim, with exhibitions at prominent venues such as the 13th Cairo Biennale, the 54th Venice Biennale, and Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, among others. His work is part of institutional collections such as the Dalloul Art Foundation, Beirut; British Museum, London; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; Tate Modern, London; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; and Farjam Foundation, Dubai.
As part of Ayman Baalbaki's iconic series of freedom fighter portraits, Al-Mulatham depicts the profile of a Fida’i, or freedom fighter, set against a strikingly vibrant floral backdrop. In this painting, the intently gazing eyes draw immediate attention to his head and face partially concealed by a keffiyeh, a traditional square checkered cotton scarf revered as a symbol of Palestinian resistance. The artwork's imposing size and dynamic brushwork, characterized by its unpredictable expressiveness of grid-like pattern results in a distinct style of gestural painting, rendering Al-Mulatham its commanding and signature appeal. Baalbaki's art underscores the materiality of paint to unveil how an image can encapsulate a fleeting emotional moment. Exploring collective memory, despair and hope, Baalbaki’s creations are imbued with illusions of shape and form, oscillating between representation and abstraction.
Ayman Baalbaki, a painter and installation artist, stands out as one of the most exciting artists to emerge from the Middle East. Born in 1975 in Lebanon, the very year when the Lebanese civil war erupted, Baalbaki's life is marked by bearing witness to relentless cycles of violent conflict, displacement, destruction, and deceit. As a consequence, his body of work conveys the influence of residing in Beirut amidst the tumultuousness of nearly two decades of war. Baalbaki’s art is dauntless and effectual, exuding a vibrant energy that invites diverse interpretations. In his creations, despair can transform into hope, and what might appear menacing to some can equally embody courage for others.
Baalbaki commenced his artistic journey after attaining a Fine Arts diploma from the Lebanese Public University in Beirut in 1998. Fueled by his mounting interest in art, he went to Paris in 2000, where he furthered his education at Art et Espace within the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) until 2002. From 2002 to 2003, he achieved his D.E.A. in the art of images and contemporary art at Université Paris VIII. In the summers of 2001 and 2002, he took part in the Ayloul Summer Academy in Amman, Jordan, under the guidance of the esteemed Syrian modernist Marwan (1934-2016). Ayman Baalbaki's artistic endeavours have garnered international acclaim, with exhibitions at prominent venues such as the 13th Cairo Biennale, the 54th Venice Biennale, and Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, among others. His work is part of institutional collections such as the Dalloul Art Foundation, Beirut; British Museum, London; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; Tate Modern, London; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; and Farjam Foundation, Dubai.