In the next instalment of our Artist Interview Series, Art Represent intern Jonathan Reissinger interviews Noor Bahjat.
Born in Damascus, Syria in 1991, Noor Bahjat now lives and works in the United Arab Emirates. Bahjat studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Damascus from which she graduated with honours. Although struggling with perspective throughout her entire degree, Bahjat was able to transform this weakness into her iconic still-life style. Her work is housed in public and private collections throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
Bahjat is a surrealist self-portrait artist working in a painterly expressionistic style with a primarily figurative subject matter. Creating deeply atmospheric canvases with her reoccurring female protagonist, Bahjat is able to address the intricacies of life. Upon visiting the Philippines in 2016 Bahjat’s palette and visual narrative drastically changed, moving (away from dark and static compositions) toward illuminated backgrounds incorporating elements of nature and water within her portraits. Allowing her subconscious to take control Bahjat depicts densely filled imaginative narratives in still-life settings that yearn for a more simple life.
Solo and group exhibitions include Ayyam Gallery Dubai (2019, 2015); Atassi Foundation, Dubai (2019); Ward Gallery, Dubai (2019); Galerie Stephanie, Manila (2018, 2016); Art Space DA: MDAA, Soul (2017); Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah (2017); Gli Acrobati Gallery (2017), Turin.
