Title: Day light At Souk
Year: October 1998.
Materials: Acrylic on Canson carton.
Behind the Brush: They say: Downtowns are the Mirrors of Cities. I say: Marketplaces are the pure Echo of them. And this is what mostly strikes the attention of a tourist or a foreigner.
I have been in this Souk many times. It is located in one of the Lebanese cities. The outer appearance gives you the feeling that you are ought to put your advancement and modernity in a small bag at its threshold for his civility. Then, you have a put on an old outfit to walk inside and mingle: with the dirty-footed boys, with the sellers spread on the narrow sides of the streets, with the lost type of women, and you got to stand stiff in front of the seductive proposals of the shops’ owners along with the persisting askance of beggar or tramps.
On the other hand, when you decide to enter, you need to pay attention of your exist-route, for an arcade could usher you into a lane where there are many arcades leading to many roads, making you surf the city but from under not above, until you reach an exist, which is truly far from your entrance point!
Although marketplaces have to be crowded, I tended to lessen the number of attendants as an invitation for the old rocks, torn tents, broken balconies, barred entries, and ancient arcades to share with the people walking and strolling and sitting in telling the story in one harmonious tone.
I have been in this Souk many times. It is located in one of the Lebanese cities. The outer appearance gives you the feeling that you are ought to put your advancement and modernity in a small bag at its threshold for his civility. Then, you have a put on an old outfit to walk inside and mingle: with the dirty-footed boys, with the sellers spread on the narrow sides of the streets, with the lost type of women, and you got to stand stiff in front of the seductive proposals of the shops’ owners along with the persisting askance of beggar or tramps.
On the other hand, when you decide to enter, you need to pay attention of your exist-route, for an arcade could usher you into a lane where there are many arcades leading to many roads, making you surf the city but from under not above, until you reach an exist, which is truly far from your entrance point!
Although marketplaces have to be crowded, I tended to lessen the number of attendants as an invitation for the old rocks, torn tents, broken balconies, barred entries, and ancient arcades to share with the people walking and strolling and sitting in telling the story in one harmonious tone.
3 comments:
If I have to pick a favorite among these 5 first displayed paintings, I would pick this one.
Maybe because the Souks have a unique charm.
Maybe because I loved the colors... So fresh, so full of life.
Because the lights and the shades are very well married together.
Maybe because it's "moving" (in both senses)... In action and talks to the feelings.
It's is a poem to harmony in the cacophony of a Souk.
I love it!
I do not know what is with this painting?
From where it derives its own charm?
Why is it favored from many?
Something in the colors .. that tames the vision ..
Something in the context .. that appeals to the viewer ..
Something in the characters .. that attracts the attention of the observer to grab more details about their personalities ..
Something in the light .. that displays a dance for the eyes ..
Maybe ..
These are only assumptions ..
The view was / is / will be always there ...
It is common ..
It is regular ..
It is normal ..
It is human ..
And maybe these are the reasons of its success!
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Thank you for your comment.
Un souk d’une autre époque, on lit ça à partir des vêtements mais surtout du « tantour » de la princesse ;-)
Une ruelle très vivante et envoûtante sans être vulgairement encombrée.
J’aime ce tableau.
Germanos
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