Early Life & Education
Born in 1941 in Palmyra, Syria, Ahmad Madoun was a renowned modernist artist known for integrating the symbols of his culture with an expressive, colourful style. His creative approach evoked the brilliance of early modernist painter Marc Chagall. Over the course of his acclaimed artistic career, Madoun emerged as one of the most prominent figures in Syria’s plastic arts movement.
From a very young age, Madoun took an interest in creating art, and using friends and family as his models, he drew figures as often as possible. Like many Syrian artists during this time period, Madoun studied art privately on his own.
After completing elementary school in Palmyra, he then moved to Safita city on the Syrian coast to complete his high school studies. Following his graduation from high school, Madoun was assigned a scholarship to study Trade & Economics at Cairo University in Egypt.
Ahmad stated that his artistic life truly began in 1956 when he first painted the Syrian countryside, inspired by the cultural and symbolic styles of his countrymen.
“Art is life, which is art in itself.” Ahmad Madoun
Stage of Comprehension (1961-1976)
Having finished his studies at Cairo University, Madoun was issued his Bachelor of Science in Commerce, and then travelled to Japan to study Computer Science. Japan and the Japanese people left an indelible mark on Madoun. Tokyo hosted a private exhibition of Madoun in 1967.
When he received employment in the Statistics Central Office in Syria in 1968, Madoun left Japan. and returned to Syria. After this appointment was completed, he left Syria again, this time to work at on oil company in Kuwait for two years.
Artistic Maturity and Prominence (1976-1983)
Madoun took a number of positions in different ministries at this time. He was appointed to the governmental cabinet in Syria, then transferred to the Ministry of Culture to work as Director of Fine Arts.
The artist then moved to England, where he taught the principles of drawing to children. After his return to Syria from Britain, Madoun became the manager of one of the most celebrated art education centres in Syria, the Adham Ismail Center for Fine Arts, in Damascus.
A prolific artist, Ahmad Madoun worked in a variety of media – including watercolours, oils, mixed media, and printmaking – over his 27 year career. His creative style was significantly influenced by his birthplace of Palmyra, the historically significant ancient merchant city that remained the primary inspiration for his artistic approach.
Artistic Expression
Ahmad Madoun consistently endeavoured to connect with the glorious arts that once flourished in the ancient days of Palmyra. To come to this aim, he used the concept of “Art as means to catch up with passing away of time”, which is a quote from the late Syrian artist Waleed Izzat.
The intricately carved portraits of the funerary faces of Palmyra profoundly influenced the aesthetic of Ahmad Madoun. Commissioned by the city’s wealthy residents, these elaborate stone busts adorned the elaborate tombs erected outside Palmyra’s walls, embodying the profound depth of Palmyrene identity. To further explore how the rich history and culture of this region impacted Madoun’s creative process, please visit our page on ancient Palmyra.
The artist thoughtfully combined the symbolism of his culture with an accomplished sense of colour in a contemporary style. Depending on the medium he was using and the time period he was working in, his exquisite use of colour might range from sombre to exceptionally brilliant.
Madoun mastered the technique of plastic drawing, skillfully incorporating symbols of nature and his homeland of Palmyra in his work. His aesthetic, marked by poetic expressiveness, was characteristic of artists who pioneered this art movement. Despite his relatively short career, Ahmad Madoun had become one of the most distinguished figures in the field of plastic arts in Syria. To explore the creative methodology and history of the plastic arts in Syria and beyond, please visit our page.
“For me, Palmyra is the main source of nature, good taste, and the original Palmyrene arts. Especially at its peak, it enriches my artistic sensibilities”Ahmad Madoun
Exhibitions
Although he had been a mentor to several prominent Syrian artists, Madoun’s own compositions went unexhibited in Syria for many years. It wasn’t until 1972 that a group of his colleagues organized the first exhibition to showcase his work. Ahmad Madoun held the belief that “art is life which is art in itself,” but felt he had not yet achieved the level of artistic mastery to fully realize this conviction. As a result, he refrained from exhibiting any of his own drawings for fifteen years. It wasn’t until 1976 that Madoun finally began actively displaying his art, after years of dedicated creative work.
Ahmad Madoun has art in the National Museum of Damascus, The Museum of Modern Art in Damascus, the Culture Ministry in Syria and special collections in Syria, Egypt, Germany, America, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, India, Kuwait, Mexico and Belgium. Some of his prominent exhibits are listed below.
Celebration (1982)
The painting Celebration exemplifies Ahmad Madoun’s profound skill in the plastic arts, as well as the influence of the Faces of Palmyra on his distinctive aesthetic. Completed in 1982, this acclaimed piece now resides at the National Museum in Damascus.
A Tragic Death
On May 17, 1983, the forty two year old artist Ahmad Madoun tragically died in an automobile accident, cutting short his distinguished creative career. His friend and colleague Fateh Moudarres immortalized Madoun’s legacy in the poignant memorial A Smile and a Paintbrush here.
Ahmad has gone and he has left me his smile that I see from time to time in his paintings. And sorrow fills my heart… Ahmad could have given so much to his homeland. And what he has given us refers to the great fountain in the entity of the Syrian Arab artist.Fateh Moudarres 1983
List of Exhibitions
Exhibits of Madoun’s Work
Ornina Gallery in Damascus on 04.03.1976
Ornina Gallery in Damascus on 21.05.1977
The National Museum in Aleppo on 01.04.1978
The French Cultural Centre in Damascus on 20.11.1979
Constanza Museum of Arts in Romania in 1979
Arabic Cultural Centre in Damascus on 26.02.1983
Posthumous Exhibits in Madoun’s Honour
The Arabic Cultural Centre in Damascus on 26.06.1983
The Arabic Cultural Centre in Homs on 07.07.1984
Ashtar Gallery in Damascus on 05.10.1995
The Spanish Cultural Centre in Damascus on 01.03.2001
The Free Hand Gallery in Damascus on 06.03.2007
Calendar in 2009
Khan Asa’ad Basha on 12.10.2008
Galleri Brynästorget-Kulturum in Gävle, Sweden on 27.10.2015
Further Information and Contact
For further information on Ahmad Madoun and links to his work see Syrian Modern History (in Arabic), and Famous Syrian Painters here.
Madoun’s family currently have many of his pieces for sale. Please visit the Art From the Other Side portfolio page or the Ahmad Madoun (1941-1983) page to view available works for sale. For pricing inquiries, feel free to contact us directly through Facebook or through our contact page here. All monies raised by the sale of Amhad Madoun’s artwork will go to help his family rebuild their lives, which have been destroyed as a result of the ongoing war in Syria.