9 Circles: Dante’s “Inferno” provided the inspiration for this work. Each circle contains an image that corresponds with a circle in the book, and these images are contained within the flesh of the forbidden fruit, the symbol of the so-called original sin. The ten pillars represent the Ten Commandments.


Eternal Presence: This piece revolves around the concept of “Time” and the absence of it, which was inspired by 4’33”, a silent composition by artist and musician John Cage. As Cage highlighted the space between the musical notes, Al-Abboud imagined a space where time stops and we are neither going forward or backward but rather existing solely in the present.


Al-Abboud’s luminous, geometric paintings have been on exhibit on the walls of Scarlet Ibis Gallery since the beginning of December 2017, and will be up through the end of January 2018.
The work can be viewed during regular gallery hours, and visitors also have the opportunity to meet the artist and discuss his work at a reception this Saturday, Jan. 6, from 6 – 10 p.m. at the gallery.
The event is free and open to the public.
Here’s more about Al-Abboud:

After spending two years as an architecture student, Al-Abboud realized that he wanted to be an artist instead of an architect as his family wished, even though it meant burning bridges and relinquishing emotional and financial support. He accepted the sacrifice as the price all artists must endure and forged into a new way of living as an artist.
Although he had changed his major, those early years studying architecture came to influence his artwork, which reflects the discipline of geometric patterns within which complex messages can be discovered. Duchamp’s cubist-style “Nude Descending Staircase” and Dali’s “Madonna” inspired him to create images that change according to distance and angle, not unlike one’s evolving perspective of the world across time and space. Such perspective invokes wonder, invites questioning and raises the consciousness of the viewer.
His detailed work is done with acrylic paint except for a brief experimentation with screen-printing, which was influenced by his career as a graphic artist. Working with acrylics fits his style while serving a practical function as he works over the entire canvas and needs it to dry fast. Literature, music and travel provide never-ending sources of inspiration.

About the gallery
Scarlet Ibis is an art gallery in the heart of downtown Burien, established in August of 2016. The gallery is committed to promoting smart and interesting work by artists working in the local Puget Sound region and beyond. The gallery is located at 447 SW 152nd Street, accessible by entering through Phoenix Tea. To contact the gallery, email curator@scarlet-ibis-gallery.com or call 206-453-8374. Open hours are Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am – 6pm, Thursday 10am – 8pm, and Friday noon – 6pm.

WHAT: Al-Abboud: Recent Work
WHEN: December 2017 – January 2018
RECEPTION: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018: 6 – 10 p.m.
INFO: