FIGURE
signed and dated HANI 2002 upper right
oil on canvas
87 x 68cm; 34 1/4 x 26 3/4in
99.5 x 80.5cm; 39 1/4 x 31 3/4in (framed)

Property of a Lady, Berkshire

Provenance
Hadba Nizar Kabbani (acquired from the artist)
Thence by descent to the present owner

"In my life I have learnt to appreciate the ordinariness of life, it is the simplicity and uncomplicated way of life that helps to hold my integrity working as an artist." - Hani Alqam

Hani Alqam is a Jordanian artist, born in Amman. He graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts of Amman in 2001 and attended painting and printmaking courses at Darat el-Funun’s Summer Academy and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in 1999 and 2001, supervised by Marwan Kassab-Bachi (see lot 99).

He has held five solo exhibitions and participated in group shows in Europe, the UK, Ireland, the US, Pakistan and Jordan.

Alqam focuses his work on society and the complexities of the human psyche. His paintings largely depict ordinary life in Amman, with the goal of highlighting both the chaos and charm of the city and its people.

Alqam is considered an expressionist painter, who uses his work to show human movement and memory. To Alqam, ordinary faces are a source of great inspiration; he is trying to see the world through their unfamiliar eyes. His technique involves applying thick layers of paint onto the canvas to represent the complexities and intensity of his subjects.

Both Face and Figure have the chaotic yet familiar nature that Alqam desires. Their expressions are mysterious and unreadable, leaving the viewer with questions. The slumped eyelids in Face suggest a feeling of exhaustion, while the expression in Figure remains more neutral.