Bassem Dahdouh’s Untitled (2019) illusively appears as a polyptych, featuring distorted effigies sectioned across four panels. Impacted by the Syrian war, he felt compelled to reflect the human suffering around him and began to paint human figures. He depicts his figures in a flattened perspective with their bodies formed into twisted, discomforting postures. His subjects’ faces are shrouded, either masked in shadow or facing away from the viewer. Full of texture, his application of acrylic on the canvas appears almost chalk-like with subtle tones. Even his bright yellows are muted, creating a reflective sombreness in the composition.

Bassem Dahdouh (Syrian, b. 1964) paints in a variety of distinctive styles, eloquently capturing the complexities of the human condition through distorted renditions of the body. Over the years, he has transformed his subject matter and style to respond to his surroundings. He explains: “In my paintings there are no taboos. I always try to make them an adventure of the soul as I believe in the non-static nature of art.”

His work before 2011 was influenced by Cubism, as he broke up and reconstructed his subject matter into abstract forms. The Syrian War deeply impacted his approach, and he began painting in a style reminiscent of post-World War II German Expressionism. His most recent body of work marks a significant shift in style; he paints distorted, almost beastly figures. Each of his recent compositions depict a disturbed subject and employ a subdued colour palette to portray the loss and confusion that has befallen Syrian society following the war. 

Bassem Dahdouh was born in Damascus, where he continues to live and work today. He was formally trained at the Adham Ismail Art Centre and graduated from the Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Damascus University in 1986. He received his PhD from Hilwan University in Egypt in 1999. He is currently the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the International Arab University.

He won two prestigious awards in Syria and has held several solo exhibitions in Damascus, Beirut, Alexandria, Tunis, and Kuwait. He also participated in group shows in Damascus, Aleppo, Istanbul, Tehran, Canada, Bulgaria, Geneva, and Cairo. His work has been featured in notable venues such as the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the 52nd Venice Biennale.