Shwan, the Artist
A Living Legend
Shwan Ziwar’s original works hang in art houses and galleries around the world.
Shwan has been in over 50 exhibitions in Italy, Canada and the United States. His works are part of the Canadian Museum of Civilization as well as other prestigious collections. He is part of a select group of artists whose art is featured in the Mercurious art catalogue annually.
Shwan Ziwar has been studying art since the age of ten. He has been influenced by many of the world’s most renowned masters: Cezanne, Manet, Raphael, Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci and Michelangelo to name a few. Picasso is one of his favourites because, according to Shwan, Picasso launched a revolution in art. Shwan credits Picasso with giving him the courage to develop his own style.
Shwan first started to paint in Iraq. He subsequently became one of 40 successful candidates to study art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Italy beating out over 400 applicants. At this prestigious school Shwan studied elements like shadow and form based on traditional methodologies. One of the prominent 15th century teachers at the Academy, Pietro Vanucci, had taught Raphael. Shwan has also comprehensively studied such subjects as art history and collage, caricature and philosophy, as well as contemporary art.
Shwan was born in Kurdistan. When he completed his studies at the Academy he moved to Canada where he finally settled in Toronto after spending 9 months in Edmonton, Alberta.
The collections of original works available through Venturion Inc at the Heart of Art Gallery in Calgary are the result of the last 24 years of Shwan’s work. Each piece has been created since Shwan came to Canada and each collection has been carefully assembled to provide a representative sample of his artistic journey.
Every piece of Shwan art is in a style that Shwan refers to as “Shwanism.” In Shwanism each piece is a production that incorporates colour and movement and love. Shwanism is his passion; it is his voice and his expression of life for his audience.
Shwan paints prolifically within the several themes that dominate his work: flowers, men, faces, women, nudes, images embedded in lines/waves, landscapes, love and humour. His work is constantly evolving.
There are embedded images in the interpretive work Shwan affectionately calls “Arrivederci.” It is one of the most significant and dominant themes in the Shwan Galleries. The first Arrivedercis were black and white rhythm-like lines and strokes. Over time the Arrivedercis have evolved into more and more forms. The prominent blacks on white backgrounds have given way to wide variations in colour from soft, muted tones to vibrant spaces. Why the name Arrivederci? Shwan quickly replies, “Arrivederci means until we meet again.”
Shwan respects his passion for painting and chooses to honour that passion by painting daily. Going for a walk is not just taking a walk; it is an opportunity to collect visual and emotional information. One might say that Shwan is gathering memories for painting. When the day is done, he prepares the paint, turns on the music and takes up his brushes ready to release the desire to communicate in a space where there are no words.
This time set aside to paint is a daily ritual that is as much a part of his day as eating and sleeping. It is a time set aside for releasing the images that have been lying dormant.
Each piece of art work is one of a kind. It is not possible to repeat a moment in time and so it is not possible to re-live the moment in which a painting materialized. While Shwan paints in recurring themes, no two pieces are identical. Shwan, says, “Not even I can replicate what I create.”
Visitors to the Caglary Gallery often ask how many artists are represented. Shwan’s diversity within a single collection of his originals is so elaborate that you will think this varied body of art could not possibly be the work of a single artist. He brings a refreshing experience to the world of art complete with significant recognition from the international art community.
Over the years Shwan has encountered promoters who have promised to “help” Shwan profit from his talent and market his works, only to profit themselves by selling Shwan originals and reproductions illegally. According to Wayne Logan, one of Canada’s leading experts in intellectual property law, this is not an uncommon problem. Artists frequently are taken advantage of mostly because of their passion for their craft. They assume others are equally as passionate and entrust themselves too quickly.
Overall, Shwan believes in life-long learning. He states,” We should learn and learn and then learn some more. We should learn by experience and from the masters and by observation. It is important to learn from our children and to learn from our elders. Life is a school.”
In his “free” time he enjoys writing poetry in Italian. He likes to read from any one of the dozen books he has on the go at a time, and in several different languages. Psychology, philosophy, art, religion, politics, design are only some of the topics that interest and inspire him.
Shwan also believes that it is important to make a contribution to his fellow man. When asked what does painting do for you, Shwan replied, “I feel the most happy when I as a human being can be helping another human being. I want to be able to say that I have helped even one person. I believe that my art is making such a difference.”
Approved by Shwan Ziwar & Venturion Inc