Mohannad Orabi
Biography
Born in Damascus in 1977, Mohannad Orabi graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2000. Having participated in solo and collective exhibitions both at home and abroad, his works have been highlighted in Art Miami, SCOPE Art Fair (Basel), and China’s International Gallery Expo (CIGE) and Art Hong Kong. Most recently he has been featured in international public sales such as Christie’s Dubai.
As a contemporary painter, Orabi is as much an individual as he is a continuation of global art trends, capturing the underlining dichotomy of Arab society while striving to reach new frontiers in aesthetic representation. With highly stylized characters that emanate a particular carefree innocence, his portraits are at once reflective of his fascination with one’s childhood experiences as they are investigations into the human spirit. Reproducing variations of embellished figures, Orabi’s compositions present his subjects in different scenarios, each one displaying specific human emotions and interactions. Whether adorned in traditional Syrian garb or in modern dress, his protagonists reflect the continued sense of joie de vivre that has defined contemporary Arab culture. Despite an underlining tension might exist between his subjects and the stark background of his compositions—often executed in flat color fields that stand as glaring contradictions to his lighthearted figures, which are rendered with bold patterns and sporadic lines— Orabi strives to create a harmonious balance between their oversized bodies and their surroundings. In essence, the exaggerated proportions of their features (bulky heads, hollowed almond-shaped eyes and full figures) accentuate their larger-than-life presence, one that seems to float above the weighty concerns of the world.
Artist Press
I Know That Face, Timeout Dubai October 1, 2009Download PDF (1.3 MB)
Struggle for Life May 2008
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Welcome to my World May 2008
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Syria's New Art Find, Forward Magazine May 2008
Download PDF (517 K)
Artist Exhibitions
Mohannad Orabi Solo Show, Ayyam Gallery, Dubai 1 Oct - 24 , 2009View Exhibition
Art Hong Kong 14 May - 17 , 2009
View Exhibition
Shabab Uprising 19 Feb - 19 Apr, 2009
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Mohannad Orabi Solo Exhibition 24 May - 5 Jun, 2008
View Exhibition
Ayyam Summer Festival 2007 9 Jun - 13 Sep, 2007
View Exhibition
Artist Publications
Mohannad OrabiView Publication
Selected Works
MO106 Mohannad ORABI ‘Self Portrait’ 300 X 300 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2009
MO114 Mohannad ORABI ‘Self Portrait’ 100 X 100 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2010
MO124 Mohannad ORABI ‘Self Portrait’ 160 X 180 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2010
MO150 Mohannad Orabi 'Self Portrait' 150 X 150 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2011