The Oriental Ancient Referentiality in Bassam Sabry’s contemporary Icons

Abstract

Bassam Sabry’s religious icons represent a state of deviation in the structure of the traditional form of
religious art, which has long been characterized as constant in molds that are difficult to change that
since any change could clash with the taste of the local receiver which was shaped in formal contexts
over a long time. Bassam Sabry reproduces an old local style in this iconic performance. Did this
performance enable him to balance his expressive style and his desire to renew the discourse of the iconic
figure? The research aims to identify the ancient oriental references in Bassam Sabry’s contemporary
icons and it is shown in a study of selected models of Bassam Sabry's icons within the research community
that extended from 2005-2020 and created with different materials. The research includes two topics, the
first: the historical concept of the eastern icon. And the second: Bassam Sabry's contemporary icons. As
for the most important results of the research: Bassam Sabry mixed the ancient Syriac style with the
influence of (Marco Evan Rubinic) style in his recent works, which are characterized by simplicity, freedom
of expression and flexibility in performance. Bassam Sabry also found that the formal and performative
references to the ancient Iraqi miniatures could constitute a state of cultural communication and an
extension of the local identity of Christian religious art in Iraq.