Homage to Clyfford Still Volume 5

Homage to Clyfford Still Volume 5 Fayez Barakat

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Introduction

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Homage

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Clyfford

Still

For Fayez Barakat, Clyfford Still was one of the pioneers and leaders in the Abstract Expressionist School, and has always been a mystery to Fayez. Each time Fayez beholds a Still painting, he puts himself in the shoes of the artist, and tries to transition his mind to the context and time period in which Still was working. Perplexed and mystified by the mystery inherent in Still’s dark canvases, Fayez turned to the experimentation of his own practice to delve deeper into an exploration of the emotions and sensations embodied in the works of Still.

Mesmerised by Still’s choice of colour and use of line, Homage to Clyfford Still is an experimentation with the palette and composition of Still’s works, simultaneously deriving from, yet extending, the abstract expressionist style.

Each work in the series is unique, yet connected in style and emotion. The overall darkness gives the series a sense of depth and concealment, while the splashes of colour throughout the series add another dimension to the works, enhancing to the mystery.

With this series, Fayez aims to use paint as a vehicle for connection. Indirectly equating the attitude and style of his works to the great Masters, Fayez uses this series to connect to the feelings, sensations and motivations of Clyfford Still. Many of the works in Homage to Clyfford Still mystify even the artist himself, and will most certainly capture the imagination of the viewers as they tap into their own emotions when viewing the works.

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My entire life has been dedicated to the pursuit of beauty along with its understanding and creation. As an artist, I derive my inspiration from the Masters and have dedicated a series of works paying homage to their artist genius.

I carefully studied these Masters’ schools and, as we know, no artist lived long enough to realise, or complete, the works that they dreamt of to their own satisfaction.

I therefore chose certain artists whose works appealed to me the most. As the saying goes – “there’s nothing new under the sun” – I believe that we are nothing but a cell in the body of God. I believe that we all are connected within that body.

“Beauty is in the eye of he beholder”. Beholding the beauty of the works of these Masters that have preceded me, I have not only appreciated the ingenuity of their creations, but have been mesmerised by their accomplishments and the complexity of the techniques used in the final result of their works.

Through my study and experimentation of all the works that I have painted through my life, I realised and felt a deep connection to these artists who I wish to serenade and elaborate further on the techniques implements in their applications, as used in their art schools.

My aim is to express my appreciation and further compliment their styles and to elevate them, thus redefining their aesthetic technique to serve as a reference for future generations.

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Fayez Barakat (b.1949), one of the world's most distinguished and prominent collectors of ancient art, was educated in the USA. He is currently the CEO of Barakat Inc. and manages to distribute his time between his galleries in London, LA, Hong Kong, and Seoul, and works on his great passion, painting.

Fayez Barakat's paintings are explosive variations of colours and forms, independent from the conventions of specific cultures, historic periods and trends, charged with a bold energy that openly and without any hesitation embraces and promotes an aesthetic identity through a unique artistic diversity. Being a prolific artist, a vast quantity of his paintings adopt multiple and various techniques rather than sticking to one specific style, his work has the nature of a disciplined practice that drives him as an artist beyond his own limits. Fayez has repeatedly stated that the presence of external forces motivates him to paint, and believes that his paintings are created through his immersion in an unconscious ‘space of energy’, and that viewers of his artworks are also influenced, moved, driven and transported by the power of this energy.

A combination of the artist’s experiences in various phases of his life, through different religions and cultures, Fayez’s aesthetic world leads us to a place beyond the orthodox educational and institutional discussions, to a world that can only be reached by virtue of meditating through the body and its senses. Having created a prestigious reputation and dominated the ancient art market with his professional acumen, Fayez Barakat is presently actively captivated by his paintings. We confidently anticipate that his rich oeuvre will expand our sensorial awareness and expose us to new aesthetic levels of consciousness.

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6768)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6769)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6770)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6771)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6772)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6773)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6774)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6775)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6776)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7274)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7275)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7277)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7279)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7348)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.4766)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.4780)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6880)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6991)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6992)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6993)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.6994)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7282)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7346)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (F.7535)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (FZP.12916)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (FZP.12918)

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Homage to Clyfford Still Acrylic on Canvas (FZP.14410)

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fayez@barakatgallery.com info@barakatgallery.eu www.fayezbarakat.art