Syed Hosain explores unfixed histories, traditions, and constructions, of Middle- East geography and his identity through painting. Syed draws on real and imagined narratives of the present and past colonial histories. His paintings suggest complex networks, sprawling cities, or molecular structures, and within the clustered code of mark making, figurative associations emerge and recede. Process and material driven, Syed Hosain builds up rich surfaces creating a tension between recognition and obliteration This compelling ambiguity in the work invites close examination and rewards continued observation. Syed also works into found surfaces, like old encyclopedias and history books, reworking images with additive and subtractive layers of paint, obscuring factual information and imagery to highlight multiple reading and meaning of text and image. Hosains work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Syed Hosain received a BA and an MA from University of Karachi and an MFA from Vermont college of fine arts.
Syed Hosain was born in Pakistan and lives and works in Minneapolis, MN.
