ARTfactory "The Other Side of the Coin" exhibit by Lukman Ahmad

Dale City VA

28 March, 2022

11:21 AM

Description

ARTfactory to Present The Other Side of the Coin Solo Exhibit by Kurdish-American Artist, Lukman Ahmad Exhibit dates: March 24-April 30 Artist Reception: Saturday, April 2, 6 pm – 8 pm Live Kurdish, Iranian, & Greek music provided by: Azad Yalçin, Jalal Kimia, & Spyros Pilios Koliavasilis (9419 Battle St, Manassas, Free & open to the public) RSVP Here: Tinyurl.com/LukmanAR The Other Side of the Coin Syrian born, Lukman Ahmad reflects the Kurdish experience as well as the human experience. Along with his vibrant paintings and expressive emotion, Ahmad also implements the color black in his works, combining the tragedy of death and hope together in his current collection. Ahmad's homage and deep sense of belonging to the Kurdish land is emphatically portrayed in his acrylic painting style through the use of cultural motifs such as the sun, sunflowers, horses, and doves. He knows that a thousand stories were forgotten - a swinging graceful dancer painted in colorful fluid shapes alongside a galloping horse, contrasted, with the heaviness of a grief-stricken black cloaked woman recently widowed, and fronting desert sands where her loved ones rest. Ultimately, his collection unveils The Other Side of the Coin. About the Artist Self-educated, and deeply in touch with his people and the intertwined surrounding cultures, Lukman Ahmad expresses imagination and experiences with authenticity. Ahmad allows color and movement to tell the story, be it one of pain or of happiness, of contemplation or passion. He combines symbolism, imagination, color, and rhythm, to transport the viewer into the world he lived and the emotions he witnessed. Ahmad strives to deliver that spectrum of life with over 100 exhibits in various countries, including: Syria, Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan, Switzerland, Germany, France, Egypt, Lebanon, and the United States. Ahmad's exhibit history has ranged from solo exhibits, such as the Foundry Gallery in D.C., the Jerusalem Fund Gallery, the Voice of America Gallery, and Syra Gallery, as well as group exhibits at the West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park in Stowe, Vermont, Artomatic in Maryland, the Ackland Art Museum with the University of North Carolina, and the Workhouse Arts Center in Virginia. Artist Statement Through expressionism and imagination, I invite the viewer to know another culture. My works incite the viewer's eye to experience a story of the Kurds- a people forgotten and without a state, yet a people that has retained a rich and full culture, despite being in conflict with Syria since 2011. The war changed my life as a Kurdish-American artist, and I became more committed to emotional issues related to human nature and how art can convey all of these stories in an impactful and contemporary way. Contact: ARTfactory Gallery Director: Jordan Exum [email protected] 703-330-2787 Gallery Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm 9419 Battle St, Manassas, VA 20110 VirginiaARTfactory.org/manassas-art-gallery Instagram: @virginiaartfactory