From November 20 – December 31, Ayyam Gallery Damascus will proudly present Guillotine, the solo show of internationally recognized Syrian sculptor Moustafa Ali. Highlighting a new collection, the exhibition will feature oversized wooden sculptures that have been executed with Ali’s celebrated approach.
Deeply expressive, his solemn figurative works maintain a subdued yet haunting presence. With decapitated heads appearing as forgotten relics, the artist simultaneously emphasizes an affecting absence. What remains are the faces of anonymous subjects— soulless, bodiless forms whose features seem to recede as the unspoken lingers. Employing a labored process in which the rawness of wood is treated with a bronze-like finish, Ali accentuates the natural contours of his medium while creating a dramatic patina-like surface that lends to a timeless appearance. Guillotine a tongue-in-cheek reference to the unusual character of these recent sculptures, also points to their metaphoric duality.
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One of the Arab world’s foremost sculptors, Mustafa Ali was born in Lattakia, Syria in 1956. After studying sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus, Ali continued his studies at the Fine Arts Academy in Carrara, Italy, graduating in 1996. A favorite among regional collectors for nearly three decades, his work is housed in private and public collections throughout the Middle East, including a number of official institutions in Syria such as the National Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Damascus, in addition to the Jordan National Gallery in Amman, the Sharjah Museum of Art and the Arab World Institute in Paris. Although known for elegant, monumental sculptures that pierce the consciousness and underscore the fragility of mankind, Ali is also the director of the renowned Damascus art center The Mustafa Ali Art Foundation, which presents exhibitions, workshops, lectures and cultural events throughout the year to local artists and the public. Through his art work and nonprofit, Ali has impacted generations of Syrian artists.