Born in Syria in 1967, Thaier Helal has been a student of notable painters such as Mahmoud Hammad during his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Damascus. His large mixed media works and innovative painting style branded him a pioneer of contemporary abstraction in the Middle East. He focused on the effects of militarisation after the outbreak of the Syrian war and was interested in exposing its tragic global effects. After relocating to the United Arab Emirates in the 1990s, he found solace in adventurous aesthetic methods of painting, experimenting with glue, sand and coal. This textural exploration made him feel more connected to the immediate world around him. He is a Senior Member of the Sharjah Arts Institute and a Professor at the Fine Arts College at the University of Sharjah. In
addition, he has won awards from Tehran’s Contemporary Painting Biennial (2005), and the Sharjah Biennial (1997). His group shows extend worldwide in places such as San Francisco, Dubai, Beirut, London, and Seoul.
