T R U E
C O L O R S : A D I A L O G U E F A T A T B A H M A D
A R T S P A C E
H A M R A
P R E S E N T S
TRUE COLORS: A DIALOGUE
FATAT BAHMAD
FEBRUARY 2016 B E I R U T, L E B A N O N
6th Floor, Costa Cafe Bldg, Hamra St, Beirut, Lebanon T.: +961 1 736 516 - info@artspacehamra.com www.artspacehamra.com
TRUE COLORS: A DIALOGUE In “True Colors� , Fatat Bahmad and Louma Rabah stage a dialogue of color and movement that compels viewers to take another look at what is considered commonplace. Household interiors and rural landscapes, at once recognizable and familiar, unfold onto improvisational and seemingly idyllic re-imaginings of Lebanese village life. Juxtaposed to these rural reveries is the kinetic and unusual color combination of cities rethought. The whimsical and easygoing visions of the countryside are affective of contemplative peace as the visions of the city awaken new constellations of color and activity. In a manner as skillful as it is deceptively casual, both artists bring out their "True Colors" to illuminate their experience of a place, bringing what lies inside closer to that which lies outside.
“Mexican” Oil on Canvas 40 x 30 cm 2015
“The backyard” Oil on Canvas 95 x 120 cm 2015
“Freshness” Oil on Canvas 90 x 120 cm 2015
“Sunday Noon” Oil on Canvas 70 x 100 2015
“The Vase” Oil on Canvas 70 x 100 cm 2015
“On the Porch” Oil on Canvas 90 x 120 cm 2015
“Blue” Oil on Canvas 40 x 50 cm 2015
“Under the Moonlight” Oil on Canvas 90 x 120 cm 2015
“Tea” Oil on Canvas 90 x 120 cm 2015
“The Dawn” Oil on Canvas 95 x 120 cm 2015
“On the Floor” Oil On Canvas 40 x 50 cm 2016
“The Field” Oil on Canvas 40 x 50 cm 2016
“Kfarmilki” Oil on Canvas 40 x 50 cm 2016
“Poppy Field” Oil on Canvas 30 x 40 cm 2016
“Afternoon” Oil on Canvas 90 x 120 cm 2015
“Balcony” Oil on Canvas 135 x 100 cm 2015
“Calm” Oil on Canvas 135 x 100 cm 2015
“Sunflowers” Oil on Canvas 40 x 30 cm 2016
“Mariam” Oil on Canvas 135 x 100 cm 2015
“Nostalgy” Oil on Canvas 135 x 100 cm 2015
“Heritage” Oil on Canvas 140 x 100 cm 2015
!"Still life II� Oil on Canvas 47 x 35 cm 2015
“Nature on Fire” Oil on Canvas 120 x 90 cm 2015
“The Window” Oil on Canvas 120 x 90 cm 2015
“Sweet home” Oil on Canvas 50 x 40 cm 2016
“On the Floor” Oil On Canvas 40 x 50 cm 2016
“The Fields” Oil on Canvas 30 x 40 cm 2016
Fatat Bahmad Born in 1973, Fatat Bahmad is a Lebanese painter who currently works and lives in Beirut. Fatat was only two years old when the civil war in Lebanon broke out which obliged her family to move out of Beirut towards Kfarmelki, in the south of Lebanon, where Fatat spent most of her childhood. Kfarmelki’s virgin nature continues to be an inspiration in Fatat’s work. In 1990 she joined the Institute of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut, Lebanon, and graduated with a BA in painting in 1994. In 2006 she enrolled at The Institute of Oriental Letters, University Saint Joseph, Lebanon, and graduated with an MA degree in Education. Her work is characterized by its effortless style and personalized use of color.
Artspace Hamra Artspace Hamra is an art gallery and multidisciplinary cultural space, promoting and supporting modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art. By conducting exhibitions, thematic residencies, art education and workshops, the organization aims to create an interactive and open platform for arts and culture. Our ambition is to initiate a dialogue between cultures and advance knowledge both locally and globally. Artspace Hamra is home to both a commercial art gallery and nonprofit organization, which supports non-commercial art projects and events. This twofold approach allows our organization to broaden its engagement with the arts, creating a sustainable and uncompromising space for public interaction and cultural expression. Artspace Hamra is situated on the 6th floor above bustling Hamra Street, an airy and versatile space of over 300 sq. meters, with a bird's eye view of cosmopolitan Beirut. GALLERY Artspace Hamra showcases the work of emerging and established artists from Lebanon, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. While maintaining a broad regional focus, the gallery promotes art that is challenging and internationally relevant. Artspace Hamra regularly holds solo exhibitions as well as collaborates with curators and guest artists to present thematic shows and events. We represent a multi-generational group of artists working across a diverse range of media and approaches. PROJECTS Artspace Hamra Projects seeks to create a sustainable platform for non-commercial contemporary art events and activities in Beirut, Lebanon. ‘Projects’ funds and facilitates contemporary art practices that invite public interaction, cultural expression and community involvement. This includes thematic residencies for invited artists, non-commercial exhibitions, free lectures, symposia, workshops and other art-related events that are open to the public. The organization aims to create an interactive and open platform for the arts.
DESIGNED BY RAYAD ASSI