Lot 32: Ahlam Azef Al Kaman Al Insan (The Violinist's Dreams)

Maamoun Al Homsi (Syrian, b. 1949) Ahlam Azef Al Kaman Al Insan (The Violinist's Dreams) signed and dated in Arabic (lower left); signed, titled, dated and inscribed in Arabic (on the reverse) oil on canvas 31 5/8 x 35 5/8in. (80.9 x 65.3cm.) Painted in 1998

80.9 x 65.3cm.

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.

Maamoun Al Homsi's Violinist's Dream is one of the most captivating works from the Syrian artist's oeuvre. Depicting a seated violinist, his fingers lightly pressed against the neck of his instrument in a premeditated gesture to reveal the sonorous music of the violin, the painting has been executed in a slightly cubist fashion. With his brush, Al Homsi has employed a symphony of greys and browns to create the harmonious colour palette, which gives the work a dream-like existence. From his early days spent at the famous cafés of Nofara, observing faces, figures and expressions, Al Homsi put them down on pen and paper. Like many Syrians, he was gravely affected by the wars that plagued Syria and, consequentially, his art, took a dark turn. This was followed by a period of transparency, during which time he produced works like the present painting. Al Homsi believes that music was an honest form of art with a vocabulary that could penetrate the soul and leave the listener with a feeling of bliss and euphoria. For many years now, Al Homsi lives a life of seclusion and produces very little new art.