Urbanist Art Gallery in Dubai invites art enthusiasts to attend Oriental Resonance, a solo exhibition by Syrian artist Imad Habbab. This captivating showcase features a poetic fusion of human faces and urban landscapes, blending individual expressions with the architectural essence of Beirut, Damascus, and Istanbul: the cities where the artist lives. Through his work, Habbab offers a multifaceted reflection on these urban centres, weaving personal, collective, and historical perspectives. The last day of the exhibition will be 26 January 2025.
Habbab’s metaphorical portraits delve into the interplay between memory, identity, and the cultural narratives embodied in urban architecture. His layered compositions and symbolic gestures transform cityscapes into vibrant archives where personal stories and shared histories converge. The result is a profound meditation on themes of belonging, resilience, and the fluid nature of identity within the region’s rich cultural heritage.
About the artist
Imad Habbab (b. 1989, Syria) graduated from the University of Damascus with a degree in Fine Arts. Since 2015, he has lived and worked in Turkey, where he developed his unique art philosophy, Constructive Metaphorism. Since 2014, Habbab has focused on his Civilian Spectrums concept, exploring the deep connections between identity, place, and the human imprint on cities. His impressionist paintings often incorporate hidden symbolic elements, at times approaching the realm of optical illusions.
Drawing from his experiences during the Syrian crisis, Habbab also investigates the concept of explosion as a metaphor for the tension between human thought and values and the instant of catastrophic rupture.
Habbab has displayed his art pieces in many exhibitions and art events, such as Dubai Art Fair (2021); Heal the world – Caravan Initiative (an online show) (Winfield, IL, USA, 2020); Orthopedic (Pose gallery, Istanbul, 2019); and Civilian Spectrums (solo) (Mokcha, Istanbul, 2019).
Habbab has participated in artist residencies at Nadas Istanbul (2019) and Art Residence in Aley (Beirut, 2012). His accolades include a nomination in the Caravan Art Contest (Winfield, USA, 2020) and the first prize in the Shaghaf Young Artists Contest (Damascus, Syria, 2010).
To get more information about Oriental Resonance, please go to the official website of the Urbanist Art Gallery.
In addition, you might be interested in visiting Color The City by Korean artists Lee Yerim and Roh Jungyun and Marina Fedorova’s solo show Cosmodreams: Elementa.
