Mohamad Khayata's artistic creations bear the profound imprint of a decade-long journey of displacement. His works serve as a poignant exploration of themes such as migration, memory, and identity. Each piece is a heartfelt tribute to the countless displaced individuals, whose stories are marked by resilience, hope, and a serene sense of melancholy. Originally born in Damascus, Syria, artist Mohamad Khayata was compelled to leave his homeland due to the enduring political conflict. Since 2012, he has found refuge in Beirut, Lebanon, where his art continues to convey the emotional echoes of his tumultuous experiences.
Khayata’s monochromatic portraits, portraying women in
domestic settings, are meticulously crafted, with judiciously applied hues
acting as subtle strokes of emphasis, breathing life into intricate details.
The backgrounds of delicately layered dry wash elicit vulnerability and
emotionality.
Khayata’s work is a
resounding call for transformation and unity within his home country. Women in Khayata’s work wear madeh, a homemade patchwork
quilt made from clothing that harkens to personal history with his mother.
This madeh also became the inspiration for his documentary photography
series “Stitching My Syria Back” which was chosen to be part of Journeys
Festival International 2016 as a landmark for the “Look Up” project in
Leicester, England. During this public exhibition coordinated with the Royal
Institute of British Architects, his photographs were installed on ten
buildings, fostering a deeper connection between art and the public,
highlighting empowerment and enriching the younger generation’s aspirations for
the future.
In the last few years, Khayata has participated in an
increasing number of collective exhibitions across Europe and the Middle East,
where his distinctive style and original approach have captivated audiences,
leading to sold-out exhibitions each time, cementing his status as a
sought-after artist in the global art scene. Holding his BA in Fine Arts
obtained at Damascus University, Khayata is a bastion of Syrian legacy, memory,
home, and happiness.
EXHIBITIONS
2020-23 Artplex Gallery, Los Angeles
2019 “Nota Bene,” Artplex Gallery Los Angeles, California
2018 “Takhalli,” 4th edition of the Laboratory of Arts Programme, partnership with The Goethe Institute, City of Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut Art Fair, 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
“Umm Al-Zuluf,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
“Aegean Sea,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2017 “Umm Al-Zuluf,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut Art Fair, Beirut, Lebanon
Sharjah Art Bienalle, SAFIR
“Stitching My Syria Back Together,” The Alexandria Library, Manchester, UK
2016 “Revealing,” Beirut Art Fair, Gallery One Palestine, Beirut, Lebanon
Journeys Festival International 2016
TA’AROF workshop, Sharjah Art Bienalle, SAFIR
“Look Up,” Project in Leicester
Inside Beirut, The Gallerist, Beirut, Lebanon
“The Third Space,” British Council in London and Brussels, UK
2015 “Walking on Thread,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
“Sketches: Mohamad Khayata & Ahmad Naffory,” Garden of Gallery 392RMAIL393, Beirut, Lebanon
2014 “Bits & Pieces,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
“Syrian Art of Today,” VC Art Gallery, Oxfam, Mayfair, UK
2013 “Bits & Pieces,” 392RMEIL393 Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
PRESS
2017 “The Syrian Artist…”, Beirut—The
New Arab. August 3, 2017.
2016 “Die
Hauptstadt des Libanon”, Crazy Beirut. December 17, 2016.
2015 Oumayma Ajarra, “Mohamad
Khayata, Étincelle Syrienne”, On Orient. December 19, 2015.
