Akram Al Halabi

The artist Akram Al Halabi, born in part of the occupied Golan Heights called Madjal Shams, is a founder of the Fateh Al Mudarres Art Center in Golan. He has taken part in an art retreat in Umea, Sweden, as well as in group exhibits in Vienna, Bordeaux, Umea, Paris, Cairo, and Istanbul, as well as in Syria and Palestine. Al Halabi has also received three one-year scholarships from the Afro-Asian institute in Vienna.

Yuk – اليوك
© Akram al Halabi, Öl auf Leinwand, 150x130cm, 2019-2020.

The YUK, is a name of a place where the mattresses and blankets are arranged for all the family. It may contain some secrets, stories, dreams or even nightmares… including “Al-Sheep-الشيب”.

Tantur – الطنطور
© Akram Al Halabi, Öl auf Leinwand, 105x110cm, 2018

Cheek خــــد

The work “Cheek” is a series of images from Syria, of people and their stories. Harsh images and videos of massacres published in the media. Images hard to watch. During the years 2011/2012/2013, I was writing on these images what I see in the image itself.
The visual text … consists of words written on images of people or places in and from Syria.

Calling things by their names … to remind ourselves that they exist! Writing words or the names of what we see … no more.
“Ear, Eye, Brow, Window, Blood, Nose, Child, Neck, Throat, Chin, Shoulder, Heart, Mother, Fingers, Cheek…”.
© Akram Al Halabi , 2015

Love Comes First
© Akram Al Halabi, performance project, Golan Heights, 23.10.2010

Around 200 people have wrote with their bodies the statement: Love Comes First (in Arabic – المحبه اولاً), on the football field space in Majdal Shams Village.

In 2009, Akram al Halabi started his work on the project “Snowflakes”. In public places, he asked people whom he met randomly to define themselves at the moment of their meeting and write this definition on individual papers used for invoicing to which he added small geometric forms using pliers to create lines in the shape of fingerprints and snowflakes.

Snowflakes
© Akram Al Halabi, Document, 784 Invoice Papers, 2009-2012.

Al Halabi’s work concentrates on condensing forms of human expression through daring representation of the human body in paintings, sculptures, wood cuttings, and prints. He has recently begun incorporating digital approaches to depict the effects of the war in Syria, adding his own vision into existing digital pictures. He adds text to digital photographs to truly draw attention to the images being shown; this reflects his method of using two distinct elements to create a final product that creates an effect based on the interaction between its elements. 

Akram Al Halabi works to infuse his art with themes of humanity and identity–his work Snowflakes is an example of this–creating pieces that show or encourage unity between seemingly different and distant people. Speaking about this piece, he said, “Ultimately, people everywhere are the same. We have so much in common. But, there were some interesting nuances [and] I totally respect that – people across different societies communicate with each other differently, especially in light of any localised political issues and fractions.” 

Reema

Lyrics and Music by Hisham Abu Jabal / Video Animation by Akram Al halabi, duration: 00:04:27, 2020. Vocals | Eiad Maddah, Haneen Ayoub, Mhammad Tarabieh, Hisham Abu Jaba. Bass Guitar | Basm Safadi, Electric Guitar | Busher Abu Saleh, Drums | Basel Mfarej. Recording, Mixing and Mastering | 67 Recording Studio – Busher Abu Saleh. Jafra Music Production & Beit Al Musica.