Nazir Ismail is a Syrian artist born in Damascus in 1948. From an early age, he frequented Abu Subhi Al Tinawi’s studio which neighbored his grandfather’s house. This early exposure to art led him to begin his own practice as a self-taught artist in the 1960s. His first exhibition was held in Beirut, where he then lived and worked. Refining his practice over time, he developed his own distinctive style that consisted of earthy tones and a unique expressionist technique, painting human or animal figures in the tradition of ancient Syrian sculpture. He is known for using mostly pastel, ink, watercolor and oil. Ismail’s works express themes of confusion, anxiety and loss. In a blend of abstraction and figuration, the artist also draws from ancient Syrian art tradition, from religion and socio-political issues of contemporary Syria. 

 Ismail had solo exhibitions in Damascus, Aleppo, Beirut, Amman, Cairo, Dubai, Paris, Poitiers, Sharjah, Doha, Geneva and Vienna. His retrospective exhibition was held in 1969 and in 1996 at the Goethe Institute in Damascus. He passed away in Syria in 2016.

This large mixed media work is representative of Nazir Ismail’s typical classical style. The elongated faces with protruding brow ridges, straight long noses and conjoined bodies are reminiscent of 3^rd millennium BC Syrian sculptures. The white diagonal hatchings that bathe the piece with light and vibrancy are a trademark of Ismail’s work.