biography / text about Fateh Moudarres / Moudarres' paintings
Biography
Fateh Al Moudarres was a Syrian artist painter and a leader of the modern art movement in Syria. Initially self-taught, Moudarres later studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, where he was influenced by Surrealism. After he completed his studies, he returned to Syria where he grew and honed his skills under the auspices of long-time friend, mentor, and tutor Wahbi Al-Hariri.
Born in Aleppo, Syria, Fateh Moudarres originally taught himself realist techniques before becoming interested in Surrealism. He then studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome from 1954 to 1960 and developed a distinctive style of painting that incorporated both movements.
He abandoned the religious iconography and Syrian Art references of his early work for non-objectivity in the 1960’s. After 1967 however, his work took on political themes. Moudarres studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris for three years in the early 1970’s, and honed his technical and compositional skills.
Teaching at the University of Damascus has allowed him to exert an influence on young Syrian artists. Currently the largest private collection of the works of Fateh Moudarres is kept by Mokhless Al-Hariri, son of syrian artist, Wahbi Al-Hariri of the Al-Hariri Family.
Upon his return from Italy late 1950s, Moudaress abandoned the traditional formulas of painting prevalent in Syria and began to create a language where his vocabulary was drawn from the primitive and ancient arts of his country. In his expressionistic idiom reality is mixed with fiction.
The heroes are taken both from the present and from ancient civilisations, and are both nameless peasants and legendary figures. Their square-shaped heads recall those of Assyrian statuary, and those of the figures in Palmyrene frescos, and also of early Christian iconography. These characters are enriched with warm and vibrant colours and executed in a variety of ways, sometimes with dense application of paint, sometimes scratched, or stippled, or with the
addition of sand. Often a specific group of colours, such as red and black, or white and fawn, will dominate the painting.
Growing up Fateh Moudarres spent much time in the countryside, but the agricultural crisis of the 1960s forced him to relocate to Damascus. The city at that time was experiencing a period of unprecedented growth and fast becoming an increasingly cramped and hostile environment in which to live.
These conditions were compounded by the political and social unrest sweeping the Arab World. Against this backdrop Moudarres, along with several his artist contemporaries, often sought to depict the everyday people and the problems they encountered. He was especially moved by the life of ordinary people in the Syrian countryside. For them, what on the surface which can often incorrectly be characterized as an idyllic existence was in fact a way of life marred by problems caused by social upheavals. The present composition depicts the life of the simple peasants, showing the country bride and wedding party.
In such a scene one might expect to see joyful celebration, but instead there is a palpable aura of sadness, as Moudarres reveals something of his feelings about suffering and helplessness of these women in the rural areas. Passed away in Damascus 1999.
source: One Fine Art
Fateh Al-Moudarres, Syrian Artist Who Fought for Justice with Brush, Pen - by Abd al-Rahman Munif for Al Jadid, A Review and Record of Arab Culture and Arts , Vol. 5, no. 29, 1999
When Fateh al-Moudarres died, he left like a child treading the path of Golgotha, and in his death, as in his life, he appeared like Jesus the Redeemer, who never grew tired from giving counsel and setting examples.
Writing about al-Moudarres is either long overdue or too early. We entertained many ideas for a writing project to which Fateh would make the main contribution in the form of a long dialogue or interview. Although we were prepared, we kept postponing the practical steps, awaiting a more appropriate time. It seemed we had time on our hands until that June day arrived and took Fateh away.
Thus writing about Fateh appears early, for death is not always the appropriate time for saying all that needs be said.
I recall the mid-1980s, when Fateh read my novel, “Al Nihayaat” [The Endings], admiring one of its characters, Assaf, for the silent heroism he embodied, and for which he was a symbol in his death, during one of the drought years. I recall also the musical tribute Fateh gave on the piano in his studio to this popular hero, playing "Nashid al-Widah” [Anthem of Farewell], a beautiful and masterful piece; since it was spontaneous and improvised, it was not recorded, to my disappointment and his. contunie