Can You Paint the Sound of an Oud? The Inspiration Behind ‘Travelling Souls’

Last updated on May 17th, 2026 at 08:32 am

Art is rarely born in silence. As a curator, I spend hours walking through studios, examining the heavy texture of impasto oil paint and the intricate lines of a charcoal portrait. But in my own gallery, the air is almost never quiet.

For me, the true spirit of Levantine and Middle Eastern art cannot be fully understood without its soundtrack. And when I began curating our latest collection, Travelling Souls, there was one specific sound guiding my eyes: the masterful Oud compositions of Naseer Shamma.

The Strings of History

If you have ever listened to Naseer Shamma play the Oud, you know that he is not just plucking strings; he is speaking a language. His music carries the unspoken history of our region. You can hear the intense heat of the Mediterranean afternoon, the quiet sanctuary of a Damascus alleyway, and the profound, beautiful melancholy of Ghurba (the longing for home).

As I listened to his compositions, I found myself asking a question: Can this sound be captured in oil paint? If these melodies had a physical texture, what would they look like?

Translating Melody into Texture

That question became the foundation for the Travelling Souls collection. I didn’t stop looking for landscapes—capturing the true depth and atmosphere of a place is a complex, masterful skill. Instead, my focus shifted to finding art that carried the exact same emotional weight as Shamma’s music, regardless of the subject.

I looked for artists who weren’t afraid of tension and contrast. I chose pieces featuring heavy, aggressive impasto techniques—where the paint is sculpted so thickly it physically lifts off the canvas, much like the deep, vibrating resonance of the Oud’s lowest strings. I curated portraits like I am NOT a stranger and Intertwined Souls, which use striking colors and meticulous cross-hatching to capture human vulnerability, quiet strength, and shared destinies.

Every painting in this collection was chosen because it looks exactly the way the music feels.

A Symphony for the Eyes

At Noah’s ARTery, we believe that art should do more than decorate a wall—it should anchor a room and move your spirit. The Travelling Souls collection is a visual tribute to the complex, beautiful heritage of the Middle East, deeply inspired by the musical genius of Naseer Shamma.

I invite you to explore this collection differently. Before you browse the artwork, put on your favorite Naseer Shamma track. Let the Oud play in the background as you look at the sculpted textures and the intertwined figures.

Experience the visual silence, and listen to the painted sound.