Safwan Dahoul: Awake

Safwan Dahoul embraces his dreams in all their beauty, chaos, and nuances. Some are disconcerting nightmares of unsettled beings, while others are dreams of a perpetual longing for his homeland. Dahoul talks about the gnawing pain of being in diaspora, so close yet so far, estranged. Partly autobiographical, this seminal body of work encloses feelings and emotions within each canvas while emanating through space nonetheless.

Taking his previous body Awakening further, Dahoul’s protagonist’s features haunt us with their presence, looking straight into the void, and swallowing us through the darkness. Completely aware of life’s struggles, conveying agony, loss, and chagrin. Meanwhile, Dahoul emphasizes that he is not a pessimist; he merely documents the current state of affairs. Although initially subjective and internally stemming, Safwan thrives on painting the world practically. While the faces may reference familiar fallen places and memories, Dahoul emphasizes the universality of his artistic message, that human torment transcends time and geography.

Dahoul expresses his wish to unite the eight canvases, creating a sixteen-meter long polyptych; this simply highlights how holistic the artist’s work is. Humanity’s main concepts and themes flow elegantly through his expressive style, unifying the narrative. Dahoul’s influence by the School of Symbolism is apparent, and everything has deliberate meaning. Engulfed  in black rain, or encompassing a human embryo signaling a hint of long-lost hope.