Fadi El Hamwi

Translating the experience of the Syrian war in his work, Fadi Al Hamwi explores the lack of humanity and extreme violence in the conflict. “We are witnessing something unreal in Syria… I find my salvation in art by depicting the feelings I can’t explain of a view too ugly to absorb.”

Born in Damascus, Fadi Al Hamwi (1986) graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Damascus in 2010. Known for his x-ray series, Al Hamwi dissects the concept of cruelty in humans by comparing it with animals, exposing people down to their bones. Using his dark humour, he inserts the characters into everyday situations to criticise society and address tragic realities.

Fadi Al Hamwi has shown his work internationally in exhibitions, festivals and art fairs at institutions such as Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, UAE; CPH:DOX film festival, Copenhagen; CAA Gallery, Berlin; Beirut Art Fair; the Venice Biennale; Bucharest Art Week; Contemporary Art Platform CAP, Kuwait; 48h Neuk.lln Festival, Berlin; CAA Gallery, Berlin; De Warande Expo, Turnhout, Belgium and The Others Art Fair, Turin, Italy.