Fateh Moudarres


Fateh al-Moudarres was a Syrian painter and one of the leaders of the modern art movement in Syria. Moudarres studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, where he was influenced by Surrealism. After he completed his studies, he returned to Syria where he grew and honed his skills under the auspices of long-time friend, mentor, and tutor Wahbi Al-Hariri.

Biography

Born in Aleppo, Syria, Fateh Moudarres originally taught himself realist techniques before becoming interested in surrealism. He is considered a "master" Syrian surrealist painter.

Education

Accademia di Belle Arti

After receiving his high school degree from the Aleppo American College, Moudarres studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma in Rome from 1954 to 1960 and developed a distinctive style of painting that incorporated both movements. He abandoned the religious iconography and Syrian Art references of his early work for non-objectivity in the 1960s. After 1967 however, his work took on political themes.

Ecole nationale superieur des Beaux Arts

Moudarres studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris for three years in the early 1970s, and honed his technical and compositional skills before returning to Syria to teach at the University of Damascus an opportunity that allowed him to interact with other young Syrian artists. During this time, he was mentored by Syrian artist Wahbi Al-Hariri, "The Last of the Classicists," with whom he would remain friends.

Return to Syria

Upon his return from Italy late 1950s, Moudaress abandoned the traditional practices of painting prevalent in Syria at the time, and began to develop a technique drawn from the primitive and ancient arts of his country. In his expressionistic idiom reality is mixed with fiction. The heroes are taken both from the present and from ancient civilisations, and are both nameless peasants and legendary figures. Their square-shaped heads recall those of Assyrian statuary, and those of the figures in Palmyrene frescos, and also of early Christian iconography. These characters are enriched with warm and vibrant colours and executed in a variety of ways, sometimes with dense application of paint, sometimes scratched, or stippled, or with the addition of sand. Often a specific group of colours, such as red and black, or white and fawn, will dominate the painting.

Evolution of Artistic Style

Growing up Fateh Moudarres spent much time in the countryside, but the agricultural crisis of the 1960s forced him to relocate to Damascus. The city at that time was experiencing a period of unprecedented growth and fast becoming an increasingly cramped and hostile environment in which to live. These conditions were compounded by the political and social unrest sweeping the Arab World. Against this backdrop Moudarres, along with several his artist contemporaries, often sought to depict the everyday people and the problems they encountered.
He was especially moved by the life of ordinary people in the Syrian countryside. For them, what on the surface which can often incorrectly be characterized as an idyllic existence was in fact a way of life marred by problems caused by social upheavals. The present composition depicts the life of the simple peasants, showing the country bride and wedding party. In such a scene one might expect to see joyful celebration, but instead there is a palpable aura of sadness, as Moudarres reveals something of his feelings about suffering and helplessness of these women in the rural areas.

Collections

Although Moudarres was a prolific artist, three main private collections of his work exist:
Since his death, prices of his works have been rising. In April 2013 the record price for his work was again raised, maintaining the steady rise his work fetches, when one painting sold for $315,750.00—well over the $150,000-$200,000 estimate by Christie's.
In 2007 average prices of his works were between $10,000 and $20,000. On 30 October 2008, however, at an auction of modern art at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai, one of his paintings, titled Achtar, dated 1983, was initially estimated at $120,000-$160,000 but realized $176,500. At the same auction, a new record would be set, but the rarity of the work's size and orientation set it apart: Wedding in The Kalamoon Mountains, Syria fetched $289,000.00.

Christie's, Sale 7674 (2008)

On October 30, 2008, Christie's auctioned two of Moudarres's paintings. The paintings were the property of private collectors and not part of any collection:
On April 30, 2008, Christie's auctioned several Moudarres pieces, alongside works by Louay Kayyali. One of the latter's paintings realized $157,000.00.
On December 17, 2008, Christie's auctioned a small minor work; Untitled realized $10,558.00.

Christie's, Sale 7802 (2009)

On April 29, 2009, Christie's auctioned off several of Fateh Moudarres's smaller minor works for prices averaging over $50,000. The pieces were part of The Rudolf and Maria Fechter Collection:
On April 29, 2009, Christie's auctioned off several of Fateh Moudarres's smaller minor works for prices averaging over $50,000. The pieces were part of The Rudolf and Maria Fechter Collection:
On October 27, 2009, Christie's auctioned two of Moudarres's paintings as part of the International Contemporary and Modern Art sale in Dubai
On October 26, 2010, Christie's auctioned eight of Moudarres's paintings in the International Modern and Contemporary Art in Dubai, Including Masterpieces from an Italian private collection.
On November 9, 2010, Christie's auctioned eight of Moudarres's paintings in the TABLEAUX ORIENTALISTES ET ART MODERNE ARABE ET IRANIEN in Paris, Including Masterpieces from DE L'ANCIENNE COLLECTION DE MARIA ET SON EXCELLENCE L'AMBASSADEUR RUDOLF FECHTER.
On April 19, 2011, Christie's auctioned four of Moudarres's paintings as part of the Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art sale.
On October 25, 2011, Christie's auctioned one of Moudarres's paintings as part of the Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Part I sale in Dubai
On April 18, 2012, Christie's auctioned one of Moudarres's paintings as part of the Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Part II sale in Dubai
On April 16, 2013, Christie's auctioned one of Moudarres's paintings as part of the 2013 Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Part I sale in Dubai