Harper's Bazaar Art Arabia

"Hikayat", which means "stories" in Arabic, is the theme of Green Art Gallery's latest exhibition. Upon entering the show, the viewer will be struck by the gallery's back wall painted in a dark maroon colour and aligned with a variety of differently sized framed artworks. The subject matter portrayed within these works is particularly evocative of family and village life. One particular work of a woman rendered in an abstract physical form stands out. She extends her arms up to the sky as if in surrender - or perhaps more simply, as a gesture to the sky for more rainfall. Entilted "Thirst", the piece, which was completed in 1980, is an intimate and emotional work by Syrian artist Mahmoud Hammad.