Antoine Deeb

Antoine Deeb is a Syrian artist who grew up in Sharjah, UAE, where he is based today. Deeb studied at Latakia University, graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2020.

As a child, he recalls developing a curiosity with art at school, finding himself keen to explore various disciplines, such as painting and collage, as well as music. Deeb views both the visual and performing arts as deeply connected, with his passion for music - he plays the guitar - informing his artistic practice. 

Working in acrylic on canvas, Deeb’s compositions are rooted in the routines, rituals and objects that make up his daily life and form part of his immediate surroundings, from relaxing in his room to drinking coffee. He prefers these specific topics to general themes or external sources of inspiration, which he says also aligns with his introvert nature and dislike of crowds and social scenes. 

Homing in on his immediate environment, Deeb’s practice can involve sometimes sketching the same subject, such as his bed or his face, almost obsessively and repetitively for days at a time, with the aim of seeing whether the work evokes new or different feelings. 

His compositions are delicately created in acrylics on canvas, in muted colours that give them an air of fragility and melancholy. “Even as a child, I was always keen to find the beauty in the humdrum and every day, and this inner need remains key to my art today. I believe in looking for the beauty inside and relaying that,” he has said. “In some ways, my art is super easy - I’m simply committed to ensuring it reflects my personal feelings.”

Deeb cites the Impressionist masters as among the artists who inspire him, alongside the London-based Iraqi painter and sculptor Dia Azzawi who inspired him with his way of working. Like many artists from the region, issues relating to identity are, in fact, to the fore in Deeb’s work, rooted in his efforts to reconcile his Syrian origins with the life he leads today in Sharjah. It is perhaps, in part, because of the searching questions he asks of himself that Deeb takes refuge in the family spray-paint factory so much of the time, possibly feeling protected by the internal walls of the location where he works and creates art, and, connected with the tools and media, albeit different ones, of his trade. 

“I definitely have a keen work ethic and am always curious, but while I like to explore and seek out new things, I never feel the need to look further than inside my studio,” he said. “I think this stems from my desire to make art as natural and personal as possible.”

Deeb’s artworks can be found on Artscoops at artscoops.com/artist-details/deeb-antoine