Lot 37: JEFFAR KHALDI

JEFFAR KHALDI B. 1964 GO WHERE signed, titled and dated 2008 ; signed, titled and dated 2008 on the reverse oil on canvas 240 by 220cm.; 94 1/2 by 86 5/8 in.

Private Collection

"Palestinian artist Jeffar Khaldi was born and raised in Lebanon and lived in Texas for many years before moving to Dubai in the late nineties. Typically complex in form, Khaldi's canvases incorporate his observations of a belearguered modern existence into his own pseudo-fantasy world. Drawing corollary inspiration from the bold-faced declarations of the international press, Khaldi brings forth a varied cast of characters, depicting positive and negative sentiments with equal ardour. We find refugees on the run, boats sailing towards the horizon, civilians hiding from sniper fire, and children napping in the forest. The artist blends dream and reality in an arresting clash of subject and setting. His controversial paintings employ a visual language appropriated from his Palestinian homeland, yet are not limited to a single cultural identity, much less one artistic paradigm. And while his surreal, engrossing atmospheres create an initial sense of confusion and despair they also often give way to sensations of strength and optimism for the future."



(http://www.ivde.net/artists/Jeffar_Khaldi_bio.html)