Samir Farah
Textures Of The Past: Colt Street, East London, 1902 (Iconic, Cityscape)
Acrylic on Stretched Canvas
Year: 2024
Size: 12 x 16 x 0.78 inches (30.48 x 40.64 x 2 cm)
Signed lower left
COA provided

*Comes on stretcher frame. Listing images showing the artwork in various frames are for display purposes only.


Before creating this artwork, Samir Farah spent considerable time studying early 20th-century photographs of London. He found himself particularly drawn to the city’s less affluent quarters—most of them located on the East Side of the capital. Among the images that captured his imagination, one stood out: a street named Three Colt. Inspired by these historical scenes, Farah envisioned a close-knit London community and sought to portray a single moment in their daily lives—where proud shopkeepers cared for their storefronts, surrounded by family members, neighbours, and fellow tradespeople.

Samir Farah’s work is an exploration of atmosphere, light, and presence—capturing fleeting moments across both urban and natural landscapes. He is particularly drawn to scenes that reflect the subtle traces of human presence, whether on a bustling city street or along a distant, quiet horizon.

An underlying sense of optimism runs through Farah’s paintings. After a distinguished career as a senior executive in international news, he turned to painting as a way to focus not on turbulence, but on beauty, energy, and human connection. Influenced by Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters, his work seeks timelessness—where color, texture, and gesture convey emotional truth beyond realism.

For Farah, art is ultimately about atmosphere and presence. Each painting serves as an invitation to pause, look more closely, and rediscover the poetry in everyday life.

Samir Farah, London painting, East End London, Three Colt Street, historical London, community life, shopkeepers, daily life scene, British urban art, figurative painting, nostalgia, early 20th century, fine art, realism, social history