Young Collectors Auction - exhibit-E

OthmanMOUSSA1974Lot 062'Yellow' Signed, Dated45 X 60 cm. Oil on Canvas 2009Estimate (US$ 4,000 - 6,000)Born in Zabadani, Syria, a rural town on the outskirts of Damascus, in 1974, OthmanMoussa has emerged as Syria’s leading Hyperrealist despite economic hardship. Althoughnurturing his love for art with alternative formal training due to the demands of a gruelingschedule that included 12 hour days at a family business, Moussa’s unwavering resolve andartistic prowess led him to a successful partnership with Ayyam shortly after entering its“Shabab competition” for emerging artists in 2007. A graduate of the Adham Ismail Centrefor Plastic Arts and the Walid Izzat Institute for Sculpture in 2000, he began his artisticcareer by entering group exhibitions in Syria, including three consecutive years of the annualYouth Salon in Damascus. Holding his own among some of the region’s greats, he madehis official debut with Ayyam alongside distinguished painter and art critic Assad Arabiin “Visual Dialogue,” a two-person exhibit in 2009. The creative exchange that occurredbetween Moussa and Arabi not only had the local art scene abuzz—it demonstrated therange and mastery of half a century of Syrian art. It is with this impressive start thatMoussa has been delving into the regional art scene.An unmatched draftsman among his generation of painters, he creates still life compositionsin the tradition of 17th century Dutch painting, which used a meticulously executed realismto extract the poetic essence of everyday objects. Although matching their artistic aptitude,Moussa’s technique is thoroughly contemporary. The artist’s choice of subject matter-a litcigarette, a Syrian clay pot or evil-eye ornaments-are in-line with the hybrid approachesthat have been employed by artists in the post-colonial era who seek to assert their identitywhile traversing international styles. His are the quite moments of Syrian society that areoften overlooked, the subtle yet profound beauty that exists away from the busy existenceof modern day life.