Abdul Karim Majdal Al-Beik
Biography
Born in a small village on the outskirts of Al-Hasakah, Syria in 1973, Abdul Karim Majdal Al Beik received a graduate degree with honors from the Faculty of Fine Arts Damascus in 2001. Since then he has participated in numerous exhibitions in cultural centers and galleries throughout the Middle East and has received several awards, including second prize at the Lattakia Biennale and second place in the Shabab Ayyam competition for emerging artists. His paintings are housed in public and private collections in the Middle East and Europe and have been featured in such events as Art Miami in the US.
Although his earlier works were inspired by recollections of his rural upbringing, summoning the scenes and sensations of his childhood, Al Beik’s recent series has turned to the solemn walls of Damascus’ Old City. Searching with astute investigation, he seeks to excavate their untold stories through the markings and cracks that have appeared on the city’s exteriors over time. Recognizing this patina as the key to understanding its history, Al Beik carefully replicates the textures, colors and shapes that emerge, employing the exact materials that are used in the construction of these ancient Damascene edifices. With a limited palette of white, black and grey, he reconfigures these two dimensional surfaces with a meticulous attention to detail using charcoal, plaster, starch and ash. Fissures in texture appear when these materials collide, suggesting a weighty exploration into the bearing of witness and the unearthing of memories.
Artist Press
Wall ReversalDownload PDF (340 K)
Encrypted in Walls, by Nadia Muhanna
Download PDF (46 K)
Artist Exhibitions
Buried in Tradition / My World / Walls Speak, Moustafa Fathi and Moustafa Ali, Leila Nseir, Abdul Karim Majdal Al-Beik 11 Dec, 2008 - 8 Jan, 2009View Exhibition
Abdul-Karim Majdal Al-Beik, Solo Show 25 Oct - 13 Nov, 2008
View Exhibition
Artist Publications
Abdul Karim Majdal Al-BeikView Publication
Selected Works
AK81 Abdul-Karim MAJDAL AL-BEIK ‘The Stranger's Wall’ 120 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2010
AK93 Abdul-Karim MAJDAL AL-BEIK 'Trace' 130 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2011
AK92 Abdul-Karim MAJDAL AL-BEIK 'Wall' 120 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2011