Yaser Safi
Biography
Yaser Safi's paintings exemplify an unconventional yet remarkable approach to depicting the human form. Born in Kamishli, Syria in 1976, he studied sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts Damascus and later pursued a master's degree in graphic arts. Since graduating in 1999, he has participated in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Arab world. An award winning artist, he has received such prestigious honors as the first prize for engraving in the Damascus Youth Salon and second place in print making at the Lattakia Biennale. Safi made his first appearance with Ayyam in its "Shabab Uprising" exhibition in 2009 and had successful sales in Miami and Palmbeach art fairs, and at Ayyam Gallery's Young Collector's Auction I & II in Dubai.
Essentially colorist compositions, Safi's animated canvases attract the viewer's eye with highly stylized portraits executed in bright hues and fluid brushwork, demonstrating an impressive command of medium. His latest paintings possess a distinct psychology, as he captures the fundamental nature of social interaction and the predicament of man in the modern world. Large childlike figures are often shown walking on city streets. Street signs, roads, small cars and other markers of urban life suggest a bustling metropolis. Yet despite being surrounded by this chaotic setting, the figures are monumental in size, towering over the man-made elements of their surroundings. They are also seemingly elemental to their environment, informing its existence. By rendering his subjects as such, the artist suggests the importance of man over the city—that no matter how drastic the changes to our urban landscape are, the essence of man shall survive. His figures thus become immortal beings. Safi's creative insights are far reaching in their scope and highly relevant to today's global society.
Artist Exhibitions
Shabab Uprising 19 Feb - 19 Apr, 2009View Exhibition
Selected Works
YS28 Yaser SAFI 'Untitled' 180 X 180 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2009 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
YS25 Yaser SAFI 'Untitled' 120 X 160 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2009 LOCATION: DAMASCUS
YS12 Yaser SAFI UNTITLED 180 x 180 cm. Acrylic on Canvas 2008 LOCATION: DUBAI
YS24 Yaser SAFI UNTITLED 180 x 180 cm. Acrylic on Canvas 2009 LOCATION: DUBAI
YS26 Yaser SAFI 'Untitled' 120 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2009 LOCATION: BEIRUT
YS6 Yasser SAFI 'Untitled' 120 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2007 LOCATION: BEIRUT
YS4 Yasser SAFI 'Untitled' 120 X 120 cm. Mixed Media on Canvas 2007 LOCATION: BEIRUT