Rearte Gallery Spiesshammergasse 4 I A-1120 Vienna I Austria + 43 664 737 537 08 office@rearte-gallery.at I www.rearte-gallery.at
Abd A. Masoud
Abd A. Masoud was born 1963 in Amman - Jordan, living since 1984 in Vienna - Austria. 1987 he received his Bachelor of Art from Webster University, Vienna. 1989 started working professionally in the field of silk screen printing. In this period he acquired his first knowledge with graphic design and Typography. 1994 he found the passion for restoring old antique wood sculpture and furniture. Through this work he learned many techniques in this field. Autodidact he learned wood curving, calligraphy and painting. Qualified friends in this field made this effort much easier for him. A particular interest in painting led him to pursue acquiring knowledge, through which he expanded and consequently developed his artistic style. 2008 started running the Rearte gallery as a non profit private initiative which was launched in order to give a chance for known and unknown artists to present themselves and there Work in an exclusive and representative atmosphere in Vienna - Austria. Member Founding member of the Global Calligraphy Vienna Member of the Austrian Association of Professional Art Member of the Jordanian Plastic Artist Association Member of the International Association of Art IAA – AIAP Projects June 2014 Slovak Art in Vienna June 2013 The Bulgarian Cultural Week in Vienna 2012 Committee member of the 100 year Jubilee of the Austrian Association of Professional Art June 2012 The Egyptian Week in Vienna June 2011 The Hungarian Cultural Week in the Rearte Gallery June 2010 The Jordanian Cultural Week "Getting together" in Vienna 2008 Rearte Gallery was launched as a non-profit, private initiative Publication and Catalogue … und dann war alles anders, 39 Momente die das Leben veränderten 70 years of Contemporary Jordanian Art - Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts Rearte Gallery 2008 - 2013 Jordanube Rivers - Rawaq Al - Balqa Foundation for Arts Abd A. Masoud - Arabic Calligraphy with a difference Privatsphären - By Chao Fia Contemporary Biennale de la Culture et des Arts “Revolution et Cohesion” 100 Jahre Berufsvereinigung der Bildenden Künstler
100 Jahre Kunst in Bewegung VIELFALT12 Press articles see http://www.rearte-gallery.at/press.htm Exhibitions Many collective and solo exhibitions in Austria, Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey and Jordan Freelance calligraphy lecturer Art Symposium Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria and Egypt
************* Contemporary interpretation of old manuscripts or Arabic calligraphy with a difference describes best what Abd A. Masoud is showing in his art work. His goal is to reshape the Arabic script, to combine it with ornaments and symbols, to create an artistic work without figurative painting. He is engaged to make the Arabic calligraphy or the Arabic signs understandable and acceptable for Arabic and non-Arabic viewer. In order to make the calligraphic element more attractive for the "non-Arabic speaking viewer", he is deliberately avoiding the traditional main criteria of calligraphy. Instead of this he likes to work with different colour layers, deep and daring shades which leads the viewer into a wide lightness of the image and pleases their eyes. Therefore the spectators find in his paintings different backgrounds and a variety of patterns and structures presented in a varied range of colours while maintaining the visual contrast of the Arabic script. He gets inspiration and ideas for his painting series from reading and viewing old Arabic manuscripts and maps. He is feeling free to re-design and re-interpret these ancient scriptures and convert his thoughts to the final result on the canvas. Each of his paintings presents the shape of a pale white colour cross in the centre. The artist tries to allude the viewer to imagine a window cross but also to an unfolded old document. The artist plays with the mystical element of obsolescence ancient wordings, wise writings and precious memories. His art work gives a new touch to the contemporary Arabic art without losing the old roots and m a i n t a i n i n g the Arabic artistic heritage. Abd A. Masoud is feeling proud producing a unique harmony with his work through combining all these elements such as colours, textures, patterns, symbolism and the various writings styles which are best presented through his inspiring motto - Arabic calligraphy with a difference.