“The Magical Thread”, an exhibition of paintings by Syrian artist Souad Mardam Bey, opens on 31 January at Zamalek artgallery. The artist is a celebrated portrait painter known for her deft use of line and strong colours. The artist professes her passion for vivid colour, including scarlet, violet and orange. She adds symbolic effects to her paintings through her use of motifs such as a white bird or a distinct accessory. The artist has seen her subjects a million times before, either standing in a crowd or speeding past her on the street. It is humankind that drives this artist's paintbrush. But Mardam Bey does not simply produce snapshots of your everyday man and woman. Rather, she creates a community of otherworldly creatures, held captive by her use of strong colours and clever composition. Mardam Bey's oversized canvases are brimming with undercurrents of emotion, layers of colour and the intricate details that adorn her subjects. But it is their eyes that leave you spellbound. City life greatly influences Mardam Bey's artwork. She is a fan of cosmopolitan centres, where ideas, civilizations and wardrobes converge. She was born in Damascus, Syria, studied philosophy and art in Beirut and lived in Montreal, Canada, for a few years, before moving to Cairo in 2001. In Egypt, she has encountered a unique blend of cultures that have fuelled her artistic output. The exhibition ends on 29 February.
