In “Mu’allaqat,” an exhibition to be held at Dubai’s Ayyam Gallery from May 26 to July 16, Syrian artist Mohannad Orabi presents a new series that sees his work take a major departure from his usual style.After a period of realism, his latest works are more stylized, and are painted on a new material used by the artist — fabric curtains. ARTINFO spoke to the artist in the lead-up to the exhibition about this change in style, his relationship with realism, and more. Excerpts: What can visitors to your latest exhibition expect?Playfulness, hints of magical reality, and proof that art can be made from very simple materials.They can also expect individual characters who, put next to each other, become couples, siblings, friends and tell their stories.What is it that draws you to painting these figures, with their often childlike features?I had an experience in Damascus when I was visiting a friend at a hospital. I suddenly found myself looking at a room full of babies lying inside incubators. This chance encounter made me reflect on life’s fragility and the accumulation of struggles so early in one’s life. The childlike heroes in my work are also an autobiographical expression of my memories, or those of people who surround me.What does the title of the exhibition, “Mu’allaqat” refer to?“Mu’allaqat” translates into “Hanging Poems,” or “Hanging Odes.” These were seven poems that, in the pre-Islamic era, were considered masterpieces of written expression because they told simple life stories in very eloquent ways. They were written in gold and later hung on the black curtains of the Kaaba in Makkah.That explains why much of the work on exhibit is painted on hanging fabrics. Why else did you chose to paint on curtains?Curtains reflect the lightness, playfulness that inhabits this series, as opposed to a much darker mood present in my earlier body of work where both color and the mental state of my characters were somber. They also stand for a spontaneous way of creating, where the subject becomes primary and its background secondary. I’m also attracted to the fabric of curtains, their movement, and so wanted to recreate these values in my work.What else has changed in your work since your last exhibition?My mood, my general outlook on life and my way of internally dealing with life’s uncertainties.This obviously translates into my paintings through color, body language of my characters — their eyes tell a more positive story, and their surroundings are reminiscent of happy, often magical moments.Another change is that I used to first build the background of my paintings through layers, texture, in order to contextualize my characters. With “Mu’allaqat,” my heroes are born first and their environment is created later.The works in this exhibition seem less influenced by realism than your previous work. Why do you think that is?I think this again comes back to a lightness of mood and a certain dissipation of concerns on a personal level because of the acceptance that there are issues and outcomes one cannot influence. The characters’ sketch-like aspect also contributes to this less realist feel and reflects my intention to tell stories in a more straightforward way, through simple lines and body language.Note: Mohannad chose the three images that accompany the article as his three exhibition highlights“Mu’allaqat” runs May 26-July 16 at Ayyam Gallery, Dubai
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