Khalid Takreti

Khaled Takreti is a Syrian artist whose work navigates the intersections of memory, identity, and social structures. Born in Beirut in 1964 and raised in Damascus, Takreti later moved to the United States before settling in Paris in 2004. Over the past two decades, his artistic practice has been shaped by personal history, exploring themes of belonging, nostalgia, and psychological depth.

Takreti’s paintings often take an autobiographical approach, blending portraits of family, friends, and self-portraits with fictionalized moments that evoke emotions such as longing, uncertainty, or desire. His compositions are episodic, evolving across series as recurring figures and objects become symbols of personal and collective experience.

A defining moment in Takreti’s career came in 1995 when he turned to painting as a means of processing profound grief. This introspective journey culminated in Generation (2010), a three-panel mural mapping familial ties and inherited traits that shaped his identity. Throughout his work, Takreti employs a distinct visual language—combining the stillness of photographic imagery with vibrant color contrasts, patterned ornamentation, and crisp lines—creating compositions that blur the boundaries between realism and abstraction. His “Pop-stance” style, infused with temporal references, transforms personal narratives into reflections on contemporary life.

Takreti’s work has been widely exhibited in solo and group shows across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. His exhibitions include solo presentations at Galerie Regard Sud, Lyon (2015); Ayyam Gallery Dubai (2015, 2012, 2010); Ayyam Gallery Beirut (2014, 2010); Ayyam Gallery London (2013); and Ayyam Gallery Damascus (2009). His work has also been featured in institutional exhibitions at Cité du Livre, Aix-en-Provence (2016); Musée de la Palmeraie, Marrakech (2014); Gwangju Museum of Art, South Korea (2014); and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha (2011), among others. In 2012, Art Absolument recognized him as one of the 101 greatest living artists in France.

Through his unique artistic vision, Takreti continues to challenge the constructs of memory and perception, inviting viewers into deeply personal yet universally resonant narratives.