Visual Artist | United Arab Emirates
Aya Shhade
Born in 1985
About the creator
- Aya Baheej Shhade is a Syrian visual artist and graphic designer born in 1985, currently based in the United Arab Emirates. She works primarily in acrylic, using mixed materials, pastes, and varied mark-making techniques to build textured, layered compositions. Her practice combines fine art with graphic design, and her works are held in private collections across several countries.
Short Biography
Aya Shhade grew up and trained in Damascus, where she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Damascus, alongside studies at the Russian Cultural Centre in Damascus and two specialised arts centres. She later earned a Master's degree in Educational Qualification from the University of Damascus and a teaching certification. In Damascus, she served as Director of the Contemporary Syrian-Russian Art Gallery at the Russian House and as head of cultural relations at the same institution, giving her a significant role in the cultural life of the city before her relocation to the UAE. Her exhibition history spans Syria, Russia, and Jordan, and her works have entered private collections in Syria, Lebanon, Moscow, and Amman.
Education
Aya holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Damascus, a diploma from the Russian Cultural Centre in Damascus (Drawing Department), and certificates from Adham Ismail Centre for Visual Arts and Walid Ezzat Centre for Applied Arts. She subsequently completed a Master's degree in Educational Qualification at the University of Damascus, along with a teacher preparation course.
Exhibitions
Aya has participated in an extensive programme of group and joint exhibitions in Syria and abroad. In Damascus, her participations include group exhibitions at the Russian Cultural Centre (2010, 2011, 2021, and 2024), the Annual Autumn Exhibition (2016 to 2020), the Annual Spring Exhibition (recurring), the Five Seasons Exhibition at Al-Shaab Gallery (2009), a joint exhibition at Dar Al-Baath (2008), a quadruple exhibition at Al-Rawaq Al-Arabi Gallery (2010), the Damascus Citadel Festival Exhibition (2012), the Oil Painting Forum for Youth Creativity (2012), a quadruple exhibition titled 'Adonis Al-Qiyama' at Al-Shaab Gallery (2014), a tribute exhibition for artist Ziad Zakkari at Al-Mazzeh Cultural Centre, a tribute exhibition for artist Salah El-Din Mohamed at Abu Rumaneh Cultural Centre, the group exhibition 'Halit Hob' at Alf Noon Gallery (2017), and the joint exhibition 'Binan' at the Russian Cultural Centre in Damascus (2024). He has also shown work at the opening of Al-Bayt Al-Azraq Gallery in Damascus (2021), at Khan Assad Pasha in a joint exhibition with Syrian artists (2024), and in a group exhibition with Russian artists in Moscow (2022).
Artistic Style
Aya works in acrylic, combining mixed materials, textured pastes, and varied mark-making techniques to create surfaces with depth and physical presence. Her training across both fine art and graphic design informs a practice that balances compositional structure with expressive material exploration. The layering of textures and the interplay between applied materials give her work a distinctly tactile quality, while her graphic design background contributes clarity of form and visual organization.
Additional Information
Aya served as Director of the Contemporary Syrian-Russian Art Gallery at the Russian House in Damascus and as head of cultural relations at the same institution, roles that placed her at the center of cultural exchange between Syria and Russia for a significant period. Her works are held in private collections in Syria, Lebanon, Moscow, Amman, and Jordan.
Masterpieces by Aya Shhade
