The City of Orphalese, 2009
Elias Zayat
The City of Orphalese, 2009
Oil on canvas
130 x 110 cm
Installation view
Image courtesy of Atassi Gallery Collection
Photo by Alfredo Rubio
Overview
Considered among the great modern artists in Syria, Elias Zayat has had a long and rich career in painting and drawing over many decades. Known for his dramatic portraiture, his practice has been thoroughly engaged with the visual legacy of mythology, ancient civilisations and religions in the region. Figures intertwine, almost floating, while recurring images of faces, some classical, others saintly and yet others tortured, recall Zayat’s other endeavour – conservator and restorer of orthodox icons. The artist also creates icons for churches in Syria using the same techniques used by masters across time.
2011
This project was part of Sharjah Biennial 10
Artwork Images
Composition
Elias Zayat
2006
Acrylic on wood
75 x 205 cm
Installation view
M. Georges Makhoul Collection
Photo by Alfredo Rubio
Zenobia/Palmyra
Elias Zayat
1990
Oil on wood
40 x 33 cm
Installation view
Atassi Gallery Collection
Photo by Alfredo Rubio
6 paintings
Elias Zayat
1990
Oil on wood
Dimensions variable
Installation view
Atassi Gallery Collection
Photo by Alfredo Rubio
Related
Zayat, Elias
Painter and icon restorer, Elias Zayat's art is influenced by religious and popular iconography.
Sharjah Biennial 10: Plot for a Biennial
Accompanying and complementing the main premise of Sharjah Biennial 10, Plot for a Biennial explores the concept of a ‘conversation’ through printed matter.