Lot 56: Oussama Baalbaki (Lebanon, born 1978) Untitled,

Untitled, acrylic on canvas, signed in Arabic and dated '09 in English lower right, 69.5 x 100cm (27 3/8 x 39 3/8in).

Oussama Baalbaki has a predilection for the colour black. His poetic atmospheres try to capture the magnificence of silent objects around him, mainly objects of violence, 'iconifying' them into artworks of eternal beauty. From the prehistoric sharpened stones to the contemporary remote control and crashed cars, everything seems to prepare human beings to face a world of brutality, cruelty and viciousness. Nonetheless, in spite of his rather gloomy universe, his powerful paintings radiate with hope and peacefulness, overwhelmed in a mystical mood of tranquility, serenity and harmony.

The proceeds from the sale of this lot will benefit START/Al-Madad Foundation.