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Lot Essay
Painted in 1981, L'adieu de la bête underscores Moudarres's distinct approach, characterising a harmonious chromatic scheme of warm hues and a balance between figuration and abstraction. Captivated by the enchantment of the natural world and human surroundings, Moudarres’s subjects, arranged alongside one another, take a two-dimensional, rectangular form reminiscent of Sumerian idols and Assyrian monarchs. Interspersed with a subtle portrayal of village scenes and women with children, the work, in its flat and surreal appeal, challenges-imposed values and norms to celebrate equality against social hierarchy.
Moudarres created varying textures in his paintings, using rough brush strokes and thick layers of oil paint mixed with sand. In his commitment to the emotive use of colour and quest for an objective art based upon subjectivity, he likened himself to Vincent van Gogh, who, in principle, was influenced by the colour symbolism of Eugène-Delacroix. Moudarres viewed red as a primal, forceful hue due to its association with conflict and bloodshed and used it judiciously in politically charged works. He regarded blue as a dignified, witty colour best suited for political critique. To him, gold was symbolic of Byzantine art and served to contain or counterbalance the dominance of other colours, while white represented grandeur and generosity.
As one of Syria's foremost painters, he hailed for pioneering modernism in Syria. His unique style was inspired by ancient Syrian heritage, the challenges faced by local agricultural communities, and the tumultuous political events engulfing the region in the aftermath of the Lebanese Civil War. Depicted in understated figures, his signature square-shaped heads reimagined the formations seen on palace reliefs from Assyrian civilization, the Palmyrene Empire, and primitive Christian iconography. Embracing the ideals of European Surrealists, Moudarres reflected on his subconscious using painting as a means to transmit hidden memories and suppressed longings. His art emanated from profoundly personal experiences, such as the early loss of his father and the premature passing of his two children. Influenced by the existentialist philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre, whom he met in Europe, Moudarres recognised the transformative potential of death and the significance of confronting it by developing an association with life itself. Moudarres believed that by mastering the art of form and skillful manipulation of colour, he could reinvent time through his work.
Fateh Moudarres predominantly lived in Syria, with influential academic years spent at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome during the late 1950s and the École des Beaux Arts in Paris during the 1970s. After his return to Syria, he served as a lecturer and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts until 1993. Moudarres also authored several collections of poetry and short stories. His works were part of prominent exhibitions, including the Cairo Biennial in Egypt in 1994, the Seoul Biennial in Korea in 1986, the Contemporary Arab Art Exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1980, the New York International Art Fair in 1964, the Sao Paulo Biennale where he received the Medal of Honour (1963 and 1975), and the Venice Biennale in 1961. A retrospective exhibition of his oeuvre was held at Institut du monde arabe in Paris in 1995.
Moudarres created varying textures in his paintings, using rough brush strokes and thick layers of oil paint mixed with sand. In his commitment to the emotive use of colour and quest for an objective art based upon subjectivity, he likened himself to Vincent van Gogh, who, in principle, was influenced by the colour symbolism of Eugène-Delacroix. Moudarres viewed red as a primal, forceful hue due to its association with conflict and bloodshed and used it judiciously in politically charged works. He regarded blue as a dignified, witty colour best suited for political critique. To him, gold was symbolic of Byzantine art and served to contain or counterbalance the dominance of other colours, while white represented grandeur and generosity.
As one of Syria's foremost painters, he hailed for pioneering modernism in Syria. His unique style was inspired by ancient Syrian heritage, the challenges faced by local agricultural communities, and the tumultuous political events engulfing the region in the aftermath of the Lebanese Civil War. Depicted in understated figures, his signature square-shaped heads reimagined the formations seen on palace reliefs from Assyrian civilization, the Palmyrene Empire, and primitive Christian iconography. Embracing the ideals of European Surrealists, Moudarres reflected on his subconscious using painting as a means to transmit hidden memories and suppressed longings. His art emanated from profoundly personal experiences, such as the early loss of his father and the premature passing of his two children. Influenced by the existentialist philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre, whom he met in Europe, Moudarres recognised the transformative potential of death and the significance of confronting it by developing an association with life itself. Moudarres believed that by mastering the art of form and skillful manipulation of colour, he could reinvent time through his work.
Fateh Moudarres predominantly lived in Syria, with influential academic years spent at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome during the late 1950s and the École des Beaux Arts in Paris during the 1970s. After his return to Syria, he served as a lecturer and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts until 1993. Moudarres also authored several collections of poetry and short stories. His works were part of prominent exhibitions, including the Cairo Biennial in Egypt in 1994, the Seoul Biennial in Korea in 1986, the Contemporary Arab Art Exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1980, the New York International Art Fair in 1964, the Sao Paulo Biennale where he received the Medal of Honour (1963 and 1975), and the Venice Biennale in 1961. A retrospective exhibition of his oeuvre was held at Institut du monde arabe in Paris in 1995.