2024
Youssef Abdelke
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Painter, Printmaker
At Folk Art Space
Youssef Abdelke’s art is deeply intertwined with poetry—not just in theme, but in rhythm, silence, and emotional depth. Although his medium is visual, his compositions unfold like verses: minimal, intentional, and heavy with suggestion. The objects he draws—a solitary flower, a suspended rope, a lifeless fish—echo the economy of words in a poignant poem. Abdelke has long been influenced by Arab poets such as Mahmoud Darwish and Adonis, and his works often carry the same sense of longing, exile, and resistance found in their verses. His still lifes read like visual stanzas, where silence is as powerful as speech, and every shadow is a metaphor. Through this poetic sensibility, Abdelke transforms realism into a lyrical language of grief, memory, and endurance.
"Black and White Realism: A Signature of Stillness"
Abdelke is best known for his dramatic black-and-white still life drawings, which often depict everyday objects like skulls, fish, knives, ropes, and flowers. With a hyperrealistic touch, he renders these items with meticulous detail and shadow, creating a haunting silence in each piece. This restricted palette enhances the emotional gravity of his compositions—where absence, death, and time seem to linger in the objects portrayed. His choice of charcoal and graphite allows for deep contrast and a meditative sense of texture and light.
عباد الشمس - Charcoal on paper - 101.5 x 103 cm - 2023
زنبقتان - Charcoal on paper - 101.5 x 100 cm - 2024
ثلاث صدفات - Charcoal on paper - 103 x 102.5 cm - 2024
سمكة ومسمار - Charcoal on paper - 99 x 194 cm - 2024
"Symbolism in the Shadows: The Meaning Behind the Mundane"
Far from being mere still lifes, Abdelke’s works are rich in metaphor. A dead fish may symbolize lost vitality; a skull might speak to the inescapable presence of mortality in a war-torn homeland. Even the simplest object becomes a political and emotional symbol. His paintings do not scream—they whisper, with depth and subtlety, evoking loss, resistance, and the quiet dignity of the human condition. The voids and silences he leaves in the composition are just as significant as the forms he depicts.
Abdelke’s art is inherently political, but never overtly so. Instead of direct commentary, he allows form, tone, and atmosphere to carry the message. Living much of his life in exile and briefly imprisoned upon his return to Syria in 2013, Abdelke’s works carry the silent testimony of a life shaped by displacement and struggle. His commitment to realism, in an era dominated by abstraction and digital media, is itself a powerful gesture—a way of grounding truth in visible, tangible form.
At Folk Art Space
"Between Paris and Damascus: A Timeless Dialogue" Though based in Paris, Youssef Abdelke’s heart and artistic identity remain deeply rooted in Syria. His work creates a dialogue between classical European technique and Arab cultural context. There’s a timeless quality to his drawings—at once ancient and contemporary—allowing them to resonate across cultures and generations. In every shadow and line, Abdelke invites viewers into a contemplative space where art becomes a vessel for memory, mourning, and silent resistance.
