Aleppo to Kyiv 2018/22

From Aleppo to Kyiv (painting series) 2018/22
Debris in Aleppo (No.1-2018/21) – acrylic impasto on canvas, 48″x36″
Debris in Aleppo (No.2-2018/21) – acrylic impasto on canvas, 48″x36″
Debris in Aleppo (No.3-2018/21) – acrylic impasto on canvas, 48″x36″
Debris in aleppo painting by tony khawam
Debris in Aleppo (No.4-2018/21) – acrylic impasto on canvas, 48″x36″
Citadel in Gold and Blue (2015/22) – acrylic on canvas (quadriptych) 17.75″x22.75″
Aleppo to Kyiv painting by tony khawam
From Aleppo to Kyiv (2022) – acrylic impasto on canvas, 48″x36″
Aleppo to Kyiv (2019/22) – Windows to the World, 48″x48″ (diptych)
Aleppo to Kyiv – Windows to the World (detail)
Debris in Aleppo No.4 (detail)

The Aleppo and Chaos series narrative
My artistic journey is a profound exploration of human emotions, heritage, and social concerns. As an artist of Syrian descent, I am committed to fostering connections to diverse communities. My work delves into the cross-cultural dynamics, striving for better cultural understanding and bridge-building. The work is steeped in iconic undertones, drawing from my fascination with my heritage, migration, and American culture. The canvases are democratic spaces devoid of illusion or perspective, depicting the imperfect world through my new American identity.

I adeptly integrate elements into my daily artistic practices, reflecting my social concerns. The work has gestural figurative abstract motifs, blending references of conflicts from Aleppo to Ukraine with urban scenes of collapsed buildings and debris. The work reveals haunting and disturbing scenes painted with a palette of colorful and earth tones that emerge from the canvas with a vigorous life force.