Syrian artist Shalabiya Ibrahim gained her reputation as a naïve and spontaneous painter. As soon as the viewer contemplates her paintings, a feeling of freedom and joy immediately spreads on his or her wings and fly without any restrictions or boundaries. Although her themes are earthbound and are not totally imaginative.

Born in 1944 in one Al-Menoufiya governorate’s villages, Egypt, she drew the attention of her family and friends to her talent, and she wasn’t even 17. Yet, she was inspired then by the rural and popular life as well as the River Nile. When she met Syrian artist Nazir Nabaa, he encouraged her and eventually they got married. Most of her early production focused on woman as one main theme because she believed that woman is the centre of the universe. Birds are flying around her and even horses and fish. There are no barriers between the sky, the earth and the sea and everything depicted in the painting surrounding the woman is influenced by her flexibility, elasticity, freedom and movement. Perhaps her dreams or the memories of her childhood were the source of her inspiration.

In 1970, she began to hold several solo exhibitions and participate in group shows in Egypt, Germany, Syria, Lebanon, Spain, Tunisia, France, the United Kingdom, Kuwait and Jordan.

Biography & artworks’ source: Syria.Art
Portrait source: Atassi Foundation