NIDHI KHURANA
In this episode during a visit to his Beirut studio, Marwan Sahmarani discusses with Founder Tamara Chalabi his artistic practice; what and who inspires him; […]
Sahmarani’s impactful freedom of gesture is vividly showcased, infusing the canvas with a raw energy that emanates intense vibrancy. In this piece, figures seamlessly meld into the abstracted landscape, where the defining elements become the carefully curated colour palette and rich texture. The heavy impasto adds a tactile dimension, inviting viewers to not only witness but also physically engage with the artwork.
Marwan Sahmarani (b. 1970, Beirut) lives and works between Beirut and the small Mediterranean mountain village of Tarbena, Spain. His textured paintings of powerful, robust brushstrokes, thick layers of paint and vibrant colours, serve as a poignant reflection of Lebanon’s enduring political turmoil. Sahmarani looks to the cyclical patterns of violent history in the Middle East, his works pure expressions of violence, through gesture and movement. Recent landscapes are more mediative in character, and yet share a monumental, pure elemental force.
Marwan Sahmarani has had several solo and group exhibitions in Europe, North America, and the Middle East, and was a winner of the Abraaj Group Art Prize in 2010.
