Maaloula 1969

Louay Kayyali made this painting, Maaloula, with what looks like muted shades of grey and charcoal, a palette that’s both somber and kind of dreamlike. I get the feeling that the process of building up the image was important for Kayyali. Looking at the material aspects, the texture seems soft, almost like velvet, achieved through a delicate layering of tones. The paint isn't thick, but there's a density, particularly in the shadows which gives the buildings weight and presence. Notice the way the light gently caresses the forms, how the artist makes buildings emerge from the darkness. It’s as if he’s sculpting with light itself, each stroke a thoughtful caress. The windows have an almost cartoonish quality, like eyes staring back at us. Kayyali’s way of seeing and depicting architecture reminds me of Giorgio Morandi. Both artists share an interest in simplicity and in the poetry of everyday objects. It’s this ongoing dialogue, this constant exchange of ideas, that makes art so endlessly fascinating.