Ali Hammad

Ali Hammad was born in 1985 in Quetta, Pakistan. Reared in happy and auspicious circumstances his father (Professor of English) passed on to him, not only a love for literature and art, but also a strong Keatsian sense of ‘beauty and truth’ as being mutually intertwined. Thus, Ali remained a votary of the principle that “a painter should only think brush in hand.”

With the passage of time Ali’s appetite for drawing and painting whetted further. He ultimately was able to win a scholarship from the renowned National College of Arts, Lahore. He graduated graced with meritorious ‘honor’. In 2010, he was commissioned to do the portrait of the late Sheikh Zayed under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed and has completed a number of other portrait commissions for private collections.

Since childhood, he developed a penchant towards Realism, Baroque and the Academic Art Movement. His subject matter includes still-life, portraits and other figurative works. The flesh of the human figure and the ‘mysterious quiet’ around the still life arrangement has always been fascinating to him. Although his art practice at college mainly focused on modern art, Ali Hammad developed a great interest in realism that was diametrically opposed to the then existing vogue in art. It was a challenging journey he recalls - ‘sailing up the creek without the paddles!’ Overall, having put relentless efforts and zeal into his work, he asserted himself, and emerged as an exceptional painter. 

When he graduated in 2006, ‘magna-cum-laude’, he started his real journey in art. Exploring the possibilities of paint, making beautiful brushstrokes, learning different tactile qualities, and above all, capturing the breath and the spirit in a painting, remains his forte. He has worked till now as an artist in the United Arab Emirates, where teaching and studio practice keeps him busy. He has displayed in many a show both national and international. The viewers always seek for his ‘brightly lit’ still-lifes as well as his breathtaking figurative works.  

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.