Zawyeh Gallery in Dubai presents The Front Side Strikes the Most, a solo show by Palestinian artist Saher Nassar. Curated by Giuseppe Moscatello (an artist, art advisor, and curator), it displays Nassar’s latest collection of artworks in which he explores the soldier as a compelling subject. The exhibition will be open to the public until the 30th of December, 2023.
When Nassar was about six, soldiers came to his family home in Gaza to find his uncle who was active in the first Palestinian Intifada (a civil uprising that began in 1987). Nassar’s uncle was seized but released later. The artist describes it as his first encounter with violence and first experience with the image of brutality: soldiers, that is.
Impacted by the incident, Nassar’s new body of work focuses on the soldier’s psychology and the actions they impose on others. The soldier is the front visible symbol of power even though they perform within a grander power structure. In the exhibited works, the artist approaches the subject as a neutral observer, sometimes touching upon irony. He attempts to analyse the soldiers and wants to understand how they think.
The artworks on view present a visual paradox. Exploring such grave topics, the artist gets inspiration from pop art aesthetics and employs bold colours and stylised figures. He calls these eye-catching art pieces of his a trap for those who want to stay away from ideas of violence and war. “It is grabbing your attention, but then when you stare at the work you start feeling the pain in [it],” Nassar explains.
About the artist
Saher Nassar (b. 1986, Palestine) studied at the University of Hertfordshire (UK). After graduation, he worked as an illustrator and graphic designer; among his clients have been different famous media and design institutions in the Emirates. Later, Nassar started his career as an independent artist.
In his practice, the artist focuses on contemporary political and social conflicts and explores the issues related to them. To produce his thought-provoking art pieces (paintings, sculptures, installations, collages, etc.), he employs a full range of mediums which include resin, acrylics, paper, inks, and others.
To get more information about The Front Side Strikes the Most, please visit the show’s official web page.
You might also be interested in visiting LOBI LOBI by Pascale Marthine Tayou and Shattered by Feleksan Onar.
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