An article from the author Khaled Jihad entitled "Osama Said. A language as brave as spirits" published on the Egyptian (Al-Araby Now) website.
The painting embodies its own philosophy, its intricate corridors winding through coded logic, weaving a tapestry of its creator's innermost thoughts. It serves as a portal to the heart, its features saturated with emotion that vibrates with a warning whistle, heralding a tumultuous tide of sensation that crashes over the viewer in waves. This eruption of passion evokes a primal mix of strength and tenderness, meekness and savagery, unleashing a cacophony of refracted anger, boiling rage, and inseparable clamor that reverberates from the artist's chest. From this maelstrom of conflicting emotions emerges the personality of a gifted and creative artist, brimming with an abundance of ideas that defy convention. The artist deftly plays upon the strings of contradictions that bridge past and present, seamlessly blending an array of human feelings into an arresting tableau of diverse models that coalesce on the painting. Paintings of the Palestinian artist Osama Said.
Within his paintings, we catch glimpses of a distinguished female presence, often serving as the central hero around whom events unfurl. The emotional fluctuations, relationships with her own heart, body, and existence as an entity that is sometimes lost in the labyrinth of self-discovery are all vividly portrayed. This is no narcissistic or self-centered being, but rather one who may, in the course of her journey, forget many things without troubling anyone else, even other women. Her eyes, looks, and features betray moments of clarity and confusion, oscillating between the urge to expose and the fear of its aftermath.This "confused female" is inextricably intertwined with the image of Palestine, which serves as a synonym for homeland, mother, and beloved. In the works of Osama Said, she is depicted as if before a camera lens that draws near to capture her features with precision, only to recede later, creating a "safe distance" that is filled with apprehension, expectation, and tension. These emotions are reflected throughout the painting, making it a veritable catalyst for events and a rich tapestry that people eagerly consume through scraps of paper and daily newspapers, essential components whose presence is fluid, whether close or far from it.
In multiple paintings, we also witness the depiction of several models of the sorrowful Palestinian woman, mourning her children or living in loneliness and isolation that mirrors her actual reality, intertwined with the stories of martyrs and prisoners. Through powerful, expressive, and vibrant colors, Osama Said brings to life the wide-ranging pain of these women in multiple images that evoke a legitimate anger when a person's gaze and heart are constricted by the tragedy of another human being crushed in silence. The overlapping of several symbols that refer to Palestine, such as the domes of mosques (specifically the Dome of the Rock) alongside crosses rising above churches, with simple houses, and gazes petrified from shock, all serve as clear indications of the intertwining of human and national issues, and the inseparability of the moral and emotional dimension from it, both directly and indirectly. Throughout his works, the invaders are repeatedly depicted within a framework that clearly exposes their behavior, or within paintings that accurately diagnose the current situation between a state of heedlessness and immersion in the manifestations of modern life and formal development that puts man in a series of continuous distraction. The eyes that fill Osama Said's paintings may differ in meaning from one piece to another, yet the content and the idea that they convey to the soul carry the same meaning, for the language of the eyes is the most sincere.
The hues and tints that brush across Osama Said's paintings are more than just a palette, they are a language unto themselves, one that can convey his message with or without the central theme. In his works, nature is a constant companion, sometimes as a mere backdrop, sometimes as a glimmer of hope, an oasis amidst the depth and gravity of his art. It's as if she is a brave soldier, a respite from the multitude of artistic images that present somber and profound topics or emotions, and offer a feast for the senses with their composition and unique features.
Even after years of experience, the Palestinian artist Osama Said never ceases to surprise us with his unanticipated innovations and fresh styles, diverging from the familiar path he's taken with his paintings. His willingness to push himself, to constantly challenge himself and strive for more is a testament to his talent and creativity. Every time he delves deeper into his art, discovering new dimensions within himself, he presents the viewer with a unique experience that transcends boundaries, proving the boundless capacity of art to stir the soul and transport it to uncharted worlds.
Khaled Jihad
