Walaa Dakak

Living in fear of the repressive regime and always nervous of upcoming events whether political or not, Walaa Dakak paints these moments, saying: “I believe that everything is in suspension… The situations are continually dependent on each other, we live in a state of anticipation.”

Born in Jarmana in the suburbs of Damascus, Walaa Dakak (1978) holds a degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts from the University of Damascus. Later on, he worked on his PhD from the Contemporary Art and New Media at the University of Paris, La Sorbonne. Revolving around four major subjects – repetition, fear, suspense and Ime – his simple yet effective painterly style is easily distinguishable and characteristic of his oeuvre.

Walaa Dakak has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in institutions including The HUB Gallery, Kuwait; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; Biennale du Génie des Jardins, Paris; Cartoucherie, Paris; and The Palace of Fine Arts, Brussels; Paris. He is also one of the cofounders of the Caravane Culturelle Syrienne.