Beneath the Seas - Vol.34

FAYEZ BARAKAT Beneath the Seas vol. 34

1-

-2

F AY E Z BA R A K AT Beneath the Seas vol. 34

3-

CURATED BY: MARIA SERENA PADRICELLI

-4

TEXTS EDITED BY: GIAN PIERO MILANI PHOTOGRAPHY: EVELINA SARUPICIUTE GRAPHIC DESIGN: MARIA SERENA PADRICELLI

COPYRIGHT © FAYEZ BARAKAT TEXTS © THE AUTHORS

PUBLISHED BY HANNA BELLA PUBLISHING All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form of electronic or mechanical means including storage by information or retrieval systems without written permission of the authors except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

In the Virtual Space the dimensions of certain artworks are edited for curatorial purposes.

True dimensions are given in the catalogue.

CONTENTS EXHIBITION CONCEPT ARTIST STATEMENT

9 11 5-

CATALOGUE

17

-6

7-

-8

ARTIST STATEMENT The paintings I offer today to your contemplation are result of deep meditation. I see myself diving in deep waters, where I see corals, submerged landscapes, flora, and fauna. This underwater world transcends the physical reality, and even my own comprehension, but yet it is so amazingly real that permeates my soul and thoughts. I wake up in the midst of the night, after having lost myself in the infinite depths of these seas, and between 2 and 5, while the world is asleep, I try to convey on the dry canvas the wonders I have seen in these visions. Some of the paintings you will see in this exhibition are small ones, organised and juxtaposed together as in a mosaic.

Growing up in Jerusalem I became immensely fascinated by mosaics. Among the visual memories of my childhood, I still see the contrast between white and coloured tesserae in the sixth century Birds mosaic near the Damascus Gate, the reflection of the flickering light of the oil lamps over the gold of the mosaics of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the mosaics with calligraphic inscriptions in kufic in the Museum. I have always found fascinating how in a mosaic a multitude of microscopic tiles, each of them unique and at the same time equal to the others, participate to the construction of a greater design, where their singular identities are sublimated in the composition of figures.

As a connoisseur, I have been lucky enough to see some of the most important mosaics of the ancient world: Ostia, Pompeii, the Bardo Museum, and countless other beautiful artefacts in manyfold museums and collections. As a collector, I have been blessed to be able to become myself the custodian of some of these timeless artefacts of eternal beauty. As an artist, my memories of beautiful mosaics have spurred me to try and experiment how to create complex visual alchemies between my paintings. This catalogue contains some of the fruits of this inspiration: the juxtaposition of several paintings of small size is my artistic homage to the eternal craft of mosaic makers. There is though one crucial difference which ought not to be underestimated. While the single tessera, the small tile that is the basic unit of a mosaic, is of a single colour and material, each painting has a strong visual identity. The quest for balance is therefore operated differently: if the single entity of the tile is lost to the viewer, here I try to complement paintings to each other, respecting their individual character.

What I offer you today is my attempt, and I want the collector to experience the same joy I have experienced in reassembling these paintings and deciding how to match and order them, as a form of kinetic art which brings out their taste, creativity, and imagination.

Mosaics teach us a meaningful philosophical lesson about our lives, that is how our full potential is realised when we are part of a greater design, and when we are in harmony with the humans around us. I enjoyed the creation and playfulness that those miniature paintings have given me, and I do hope that the new collector who will become. their custodian would have as much fun and joy in reassembling them.

9-

- 10

11 -

- 12

CATALOGUE

13 -

- 14

15 -

1 | MP.0254 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6”| £ 2,000.00 2 | MP.0106 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00 3 | MP.0228 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 16

17 -

4 | MP.0104 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48”| £ 40,000.00

- 18

19 -

5 | MP.0110 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6”| £ 2,000.00 6 | MP.0250 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00 7 | MP.0252 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00 8 | MP.0107 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6”| £ 2,000.00 9 | MP.0251 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00 10| MP.0253 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 20

21 -

11 | MP.0103 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £40,000.00

- 22

23 -

12 | MP.0256 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 18” x 18”| £7,500.00 13 | MP.0257 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 18” x 18”| £7,500.00 14 | MP.0255 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 18” x 18”| £7,500.00

- 24

25 -

15 | MP.0101| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £40,000.00

- 26

27 -

16 | MP.0259|2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 17 | MP.0258|2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 18 | MP.0217 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 19 | MP.0113 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 20 | MP.0109 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 28

29 -

21| MP.0095 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48”x 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 30

31 -

22| MP.0263 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £2,000.00 23| MP.0261 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £2,000.00 24| MP.0262 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6”x 6” | £2,000.00

- 32

33 -

25| MP.0097 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48”x 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 34

35 -

26 |MP.0265|2021 | Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 27 |MP.0234| 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 28 |MP.0245|2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 29 |MP.0264| 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 36

37 -

30|MP.0266 |2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 31 |MP. 0236|2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6”| £ 2,000.00

- 38

32 | MP.0317 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas |40” x 40” |£24,000.00 33 | MP.0321|2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 40” x 40”| £24,000.00 34 | MP.0316 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 40” x 40”| £24,000.00

39 -

- 40

35 | MP.0326 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00 36 | MP.0325 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00

41 -

37 | MP.0327 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00 38 | MP.0324 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00

- 42

43 -

39 | MP.0277| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 40 | MP.0298| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 41 | MP.0294| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 42 | MP.0305| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 43 | MP.0303| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 44 | MP.0296| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 45 | MP.0241| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 46 | MP.0297| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 47 | MP.0299| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 44

45 -

48| MP.0300| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 49| MP.0292| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 50| MP.0295| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 51 | MP.0302| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 52 | MP.0306| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 53 | MP.0301| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 54 | MP.0229| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 55 | MP.0227| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 56 | MP.0304| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 46

56 | MP.0329 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” |£ 12,000.00 57 | MP.0328 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” |£ 12,000.00

47 -

58 | MP.0335 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00

- 48

49 -

59 | MP.0105 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00

- 50

51 -

60 | MP.0207 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 61 | MP.0200| 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 62 | MP.0213 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 63 | MP.0201| 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 64 | MP.0214 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 65 | MP.0206| 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 66 | MP.0316 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas |6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 52

53 -

67 | MP.0315 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £24,000.00

- 54

68 | MP.0314 |2021| Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £24,000.00

55 -

- 56

57 -

69 | MP.0092 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” X 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 58

59 -

70 | MP.0222| 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 71 | MP.0311 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 72 | MP.0212 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 73 | MP.0203| 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 74 | MP.0116 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 75 | MP.0117 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 60

76 | MP.0090 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

61 -

- 62

77 | MP.0307 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 78 | MP.0229 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6”| £ 2,000.00 79 | MP.0308| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 80 | MP.0309| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 81 | MP.0310 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 82 | MP.0312 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

63 -

- 64

65 -

83 | MP.0091 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 66

67 -

84 | MP.0274 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 85 | MP.0276 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 86 | MP.0273 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 87 | MP.0275 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 88 | MP.0237 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 89 | MP.0278 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 68

90 | MP.0102 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

69 -

- 70

71 -

91 | MP.0096 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 72

92 | MP.0274 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 93 | MP.0232 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 94 | MP.0272 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 95 | MP.0271 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 96 | MP.0111 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 97 | MP.0108| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

73 -

- 74

75 -

98 | MP.0098 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

- 76

77 -

99 | MP.0221| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 100 | MP.0112 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 101 | MP.0114 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 102 | MP.0218| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 103 | MP.0111 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 104 | MP.0115| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

- 78

79 -

105 | MP.0034 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00

- 80

106| MP.0332 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00 107| MP.0330 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00 108| MP.0331 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00

81 -

109| MP.0033 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00

- 82

110| MP.0320 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00 111| MP.0318 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00 112| MP.0319 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 39” x 39” | £ 24,000.00

83 -

- 84

113| MP.0322 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00

85 -

114| MP.0323 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24” x 24” | £ 12,000.00

- 86

87 -

- 88

115| MP.0280| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 116| MP.0210 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 117| MP.0202 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 118| MP.0289 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 119| MP.0292 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 120| MP.0281| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 121| MP.0225 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 122| MP.0244 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 123| MP.0209 | 2021| Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 124| MP.0211 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 125| MP.0216 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 126| MP.0283| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 127| MP.0285| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 128| MP.0288 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 129| MP.0284 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 130| MP.0215 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 131 | MP.0286| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 132| MP.0215| 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 133| MP.0279 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 134| MP.0290 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 135| MP.0293 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00 136| MP.0282 | 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 6” x 6” | £ 2,000.00

89 -

- 90

137| MP.0094 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00 138| MP.0099 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00 139| MP.0093 |2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 48” x 48” | £ 40,000.00

91 -

F AY E Z BA R A K AT Beneath the Seas vol. 34

ENQUIRIES info@barakatgallery.eu

- 92

COPYRIGHT © FAYEZ BARAKAT TEXTS © THE AUTHORS

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form of electronic or mechanical means including storage by information or retrieval systems without written permission of the authors except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

London 58 Brook St, Mayfair London, W1K 5DT +44 (0) 20 7493 7778 info@barakatgallery.eu

Seoul 58-4, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea +82 02 730 1949 barakat@barakat.kr

Hong Kong 187 Hollywood Road Wah Koon Building, Sheung Wan +852-26382262 info@barakathongkong.com

Los Angeles 941 N La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles CA 90069 +1 310 859 8408 contact@barakatgallery.com

www.barakatgallery.eu

www.barakatcontemporary.com

www.barakatcontemporary.com

www.barakatgallery.com

93 -

- 94