Beirut exhibition to display paintings by the late Aractingi

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Sun, 11 Jun 2017 - 07:58 GMT

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Sun, 11 Jun 2017 - 07:58 GMT

Oil on Canvas ‘The Two Bulls and the Frog’ by Willy Aractingi (1994), (Photo courtesy to The Sursoock Museum website)

Oil on Canvas ‘The Two Bulls and the Frog’ by Willy Aractingi (1994), (Photo courtesy to The Sursoock Museum website)

CAIRO-11 June 2017: Over 120 works of art by late painter Willy Aractingi will be displayed at an exhibition titled ‘Les Mondes de Willy Aractingi’ at Sursock Museum in Beirut from June 10 to 15.

The painter described himself as naïve and primitive. Known for his gradation of colors, Aractingi was inspired by fables and children’s stories such as Geha, Tarzan and Abla & Antar, according to the museum’s official website.

Aractingi portrayed Antar & Abla through humor by depicting Abla’s purple, yellow and green face that is framed by a tarbouche (hat).

Abla_with_Tarbouche

Aractingi was raised in Cairo and began his painting career at the age of 12. He moved to Beirut where, a few years before the Civil War, he displayed a modern art gallery showing the works of Niki de St. Phalle and Alan Davies.

In 1989 he began his Magnum Opus: 244 fables of Jean de la Fontaine, a project that took him seven years, according to Aractingi’s official website.

The artist expressed humor through colors in paintings that were reminiscent of Douanier Rousseau and Paul Gauguin. Aractingi used oils or acrylics to portray different influences that affected him through his life.

The Sursock Museum seeks to collect, preserve and display local and international works of art through public programs, exhibitions and archives. The museum supports local artists and explores new art and ideas, according to the museum’s official Facebook page.

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