Mounzer Kamnakache
Biography
Born in 1935, Syrian artist Mounzer Kamnakache works in sculpture and pastels, creating ethereal works that are at once existential and mythological. A graduate from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus in 1968, he went on to pursue graduate studies in Paris, where he spent nearly two decades. Returning to his country of origin in the 1990s, he took up a teaching position at his alma mater and currently resides between Switzerland and Syria. A respected multidisciplinary artist, his sculptures and paintings have been shown in prominent galleries in the Middle East and Europe.
Often revolving around a red-headed heroine, the narratives of Kamnakache's pastels seem to float above our everyday realities. His is a universe dominated by creation stories and buttery-fleshed women whose robust forms recall those found in the works of Peter Paul Rubens or Pierre Auguste Renoir with a sensuality that speaks of an overt femininity, one reminiscent of ancient fertility goddess. For the artist, "woman (the connector) is the being who gives us the pulse of life and tenderness at the same time, and like all other creatures, places us before the big question." Thus his airy compositions possess a sense of tranquility and meditation, as though his subjects are in a dream-like state. Their colossal bodies seem to glide through the clouds in search of immortality, drawing the viewer in with their near-perfect forms and the artist's elegant markings and demonstrated sensitivity.
Although his bronze works also reflect explorations of the sublime and that which is unseen, they demonstrate a greater range of aesthetic conclusions. At times his sculptures can appear inspired by Picasso's cubist forms, in other instances the viewer might recall the round contours and sharp features of Kouros figures, which epitomized idealized youth and beauty, ideals that are not far from those skillfully projected by Kamnakache's own protagonists.
Artist Exhibitions
Mounzer Kamnakache 23 May - 16 Jun, 2009View Exhibition
Artist Publications
Mounzer KamnakacheView Publication
Selected Works
MK24 Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Untitled' 146 X 177 cm. Pastel on Paper 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
MK22 Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Untitled' 146 X 177 cm. Pastel on Paper 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
MKF Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Family' 4 pieces Bronze Sculpture Edition 8 of 8 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
MKW Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Untitled' H17 X W25 X D17 cm. Bronze Sculpture Edition of 8 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
MKM Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Untitled' H13 X W29 X D21 cm. Bronze Sculpture Edition of 8 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
MKS Mounzer KAMNAKACHE 'Untitled' 60 cm Height Bronze Sculpture Edition of 3 2008 LOCATION: DAMASCUS