Fisherman in Arwad 1976

Louay Kayyali painted 'Fisherman in Arwad' with, what looks like, soft colours and gentle shapes. There’s something so tender in how the scene is constructed, a kind of love for the everyday that speaks to me. It feels like he took his time with it. I'm drawn to the simplicity of the composition, the way the figure is placed against that golden beach, those boats in the background which are almost floating. Look at the fisherman's hands, and how carefully Kayyali rendered them, capturing this small moment of repair. It’s like he's saying, ‘This is important, this is what life is made of.’ It reminds me a little of Balthus, that same stillness, that feeling of being caught in a moment. But Kayyali brings his own warmth, a sense of place and belonging. It’s a reminder that art can be found anywhere, in the simplest of gestures, and that making art is about paying attention.