Houssam Ballan: The Downfall

The Downfall is the latest exhibition of Syrian painter Houssam Ballan.

Interested in capturing the unreliable nature of memory and the familiar uncertainty of lived experience, Ballan pursues a figurative practice that gives insights into the daily life of people in his home country of Syria as well as upon the general human condition. His characters are captured in relief and take inspiration from ancient Roman portraits as well as from the oriental Orthodox icons of Fayyoum. Their expressions are loaded with emotion, despite being mostly imprecise and at times, movement is implied, although it remains subtle.