![Nabil Nahas, Untitled, 2023](https://artlogic-res.cloudinary.com/w_1600,h_1600,c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto/artlogicstorage/benbrown/images/view/df9245070ee3adee711f684c80dafa4fj/benbrownfinearts-nabil-nahas-untitled-2023.jpg)
Nabil Nahas Lebanese, 1949
Untitled, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
152.4 x 121.9 x 20.3 cm; (60 x 48 x 8 in.)
Copyright The Artist
In Untitled, Nabil Nahas constructs a richly intricate, stratified pattern of marine-inspired forms using echinoderms, creating a composition that oscillates between order and disorder—a dichotomy central to much of his...
In Untitled, Nabil Nahas constructs a richly intricate, stratified pattern of marine-inspired forms using echinoderms, creating a composition that oscillates between order and disorder—a dichotomy central to much of his artistic practice. The starfish motif, which was first introduced by Nahas in 1991, captivated the artist due to its distinct geometric quality, yet its inherent imperfections reflect the chaotic nature of the natural world. In this way, Untitled aligns with the conceptual underpinnings of his Fractal series, where Nahas explores the reconciliation of opposites, expressing the interplay between perfection and imperfection, order and disorder, simplicity and complexity. Untitled also draws on the history and legacy of Islamic visual culture, an enduring influence throughout Nahas' career shaped by his exposure to the iconography of his native Beirut, and Cairo, where he lived for the first ten years of his life. This influence is evident in the rich gold of the canvas which evokes the opulence of Byzantine mosaics, while the interlocking, repetitive forms suggest the aesthetic impact of Islamic decorative arts and coffered ceilings. Nahas’ compositional approach reflects the non-hierarchical arrangement of repeated small shapes typical of Islamic art, as he meticulously builds up forms and lines through iterative processes, contrasting colours and textures to create a radiant surface that is at once intuitive and painstakingly constructed.