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Mohammad Awwad
PHANTASMAGORIA
3 December to 31 December 2014
In his first exhibition in Jordan, Mohammad Awwad creates fantastic sequences of what appears to be haphazardly associative imagery but are in fact addressing critical issues of today.
A ‘phantasmagoria’, in late 18th century France, was a series of illusions created by magic lanterns shown for the public. They often used frightening images which the public flocked to see, no doubt to be scared out of their wits and perhaps as a way of dealing with the upheavals of the French Revolution. Mohammad Awwad’s images are not frightening, but the subjects he chooses to explore often are, with their consequences and how they affect the world today. As the meaning of ‘Phantasmagoria’ has changed, so have some of the issues facing us, to the point where confusing and strange scenes confront us on a daily basis and revolution is in our conversation again.
In this exhibition, Awwad tries to make sense, through dreamlike imagery, of such contentious issues such as power and politics, the environment and culture. With works inspired by the turmoil in Egypt, the impossible situation in Gaza, the gap in women’s education in certain cultures and the greenhouse effect, each image is a dream scenario with multiple elements. Throughout each image, his trademark harlequin kaleidoscope pattern appears giving the images their whimsical appearance and contradicting the gravity of each subject.
Mohammad Awwad
Mohammad Awwad is an artist & graphic designer located in Amman, Jordan, and a graduate of the Academy of Arts (Egypt), who finds inspiration in random motives, personal interests, colours, textures and his daily life, gathering and using anything from magazine collages to site seeing tickets. His artwork shows vintage, surreal style with playful colors contrasting over layers of textures, and he mixes elements of the various cultures that he is been exposed to.
His continuous pursuit of new experiences, mediums and ideas makes his work authentic and diverse.
