Diaa Bekheet

Diaa Bekheet is an award-winning multimedia journalist, and self-taught artist who learned the fundamentals of art in school. He was highly influenced by his uncle, Ibrahim Shahda, whose paintings are hanging in Musee Calvet, next to Paul Cezanne’s in Aix-en-Provence, Southern France. Diaa has been painting on/off since he graduated from college with a BSc in 1982. He hosted hundreds of jazz shows, got to know the art of improvisation first-hand. That’s what he does in abstract painting: improvisation. 

Diaa’s strong desire to express art on canvas made him turn pen to a paintbrush and translate skills learned as a writer-photojournalist into visual art. His paintings – which have strong texture with a softness, rhythm, and energy – are both abstract expressionistic and sometimes minimal. He paints with oil, acrylic, house paint and other mixed media.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the pieces showcased here or viewing it in person, please contact Lu Cousins (lucousins@gmail.com) at the Vienna Art Center.