359 - Samir Al Sayegh, Lebanese (B.1945- )

Samir Al Sayegh, Lebanese (B.1945- ) Barakah, 1996 titled, numbered and dated in Arabic ’Barakah 11/20 1996’ (lower leo) silkscreen on paper 70 x 50cm (print size) Exhibited: Dubai, Word into Art, Dubai Internafonal Finance Center, 7 February -30 April, 2008 (another print from this series exhibited) London, Word into Art, British Museum, 18 May - 2 September 2006 (another print from this series exhibited) Provenance Dar Al Funoon, Kuwait. Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2007. Samir Sayegh is a Lebanese artist, critic and poet whose artistic practice transforms the way in which language is interpreted, liberating calligraphic words and individual letters from their literal interpretation, and honours their aesthetic qualities through abstraction. Sayegh explains “My understanding of calligraphy is that it’s not the calligraphy that carries the final meaning. The last word is not declared by this painting or drawing. The true meaning of the drawing is in the interpretation of it by the viewer.” Sayegh employs geometric minimalism with striking colours, utilising the entire surface of his canvases, challenging the viewer to separate the beauty from the interpretation of language.