KHALED NAJJAD PAEZ

ARTIST BIO

Khaled was born in Havana, Cuba in 1992. His mother is Cuban, his father is Syrian. At the age of seven his family moved to Syria. He is now based in Dubai, UAE. He started painting from a very early age, and won several national children art competitions. As a teenager he was selected by the Syrian government to represent his country in Cairo International Art Competition in 2004, receiving important recognition for his work.

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His art is a mixture between hyperrealism and modern art, a mixture that preserves realism but presents it in a modern aesthetic frame.

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Examining Khaled's paintings transcends the viewer out of traditional realism and the on-the-ground world, the one we know and perceive having its own physical and natural rules, into a multi-dimensional world that resembles our own reality but with its own unique physical and time state.

In the composition of his paintings, Khaled defies gravity! He creates flawless positions of his subjects without touching a ground or a surface. Simply put, his painting is an embodiment that lives within an unearthly world that defies the rules of the real world, a tiny space free of any intricacies.

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His infatuation with fashion and jewelry, since he was a kid, left an evident mark on his art and paintings and is a fundamental component of the composition of his embodiments, its what modernizes his work to keep it in tune with modern day time and trends.

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Khaled has consistently been exhibiting work in solo and collective shows in Syria, Egypt, Cuba, Canada and the UAE. In Syrian art circuit he is regarded as one of the most promising young artists currently representing the country abroad.

RÉSUMÉ

RESIDENT ARTIST
KAMEL GALLERY - SYRIA

January 2011 - February 2013

This opportunity was my entry to the world of fine arts. At the age of 19, I was among the youngest artists to join the gallery as a professional artist where I was an active participant in the gallery's workshops and exhibitions.
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At this stage of my career, my aim was to cross the borders of traditional surrealism and mere hyperrealism by mixing both schools with a fresh take that goes out of the ordinary. Through a group of paintings, I have also blended my mix of both schools with my fashion design perspective through the choice of accessories, fabrics and embroidery. Unfortunately I had to drop from my first year at Esmod School of Fashion Design due to the unfortunate events in my home country.

RESIDENT ARTIST
ETTIHAD MODERN ART GALLERY - UAE

June 2013 - June 2016

After joining Ettihad Modern Art Gellery in Abu Dhabi, I have continued developing my style while adding an Arabic touch inspired by the Emirati heritage and culture.

Due to high demand, I have worked on numerous paintings that depicted elements such as sheikhs, falcons, camels, etc. This was always blended by my fashion design perspective including the choice of accessories and fabrics.  

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A dedicated section was assigned at the gallery to exhibit my work in addition to quarterly joint gallery exhibitions.

FREELANCE ARTIST
DUBAI - UAE

July 2016 - Present

Working on freelance projects.

EXHIBITIONS

Solo & Joint Exhibitions

My first solo exhibition at the age of 11 - Swaida, Syria (2003)

Pinalli Exhibition held by the national museum of children's art - Cairo, Egypt (2005)

Solo Exhibition - The Vancouver's Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Canada (2009)

Young Artists Joint Exhibition - Havana, Cuba (2009)

Solo Exhibition 'The Black' . Alfa Gallery - Swaida, Syria (2010)

Solo Exhibition 'Faces' , Kamel Gallery - Damascus, Syria (2012)

UAE National Day Art Exhibition, Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2013)

UAE National Day Art Exhibition, Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2014)

UAE National Day Art Exhibition, Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2015)

Art Souq, Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2014)

Art Souq, Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2015)

Solo Exhibition 'Masks' , Ettihad Modern Art Gallery - Abu Dhabi, UAE (2015)

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SELECTED WORK

[please click to enlarge]