The Bead Seller 

Louay Kayyali painted this image of a man with beads, sometime before 1978. The beads themselves are a dominant symbol in this work, suggesting devotion, meditation, and a connection to the divine, deeply rooted in religious practices across cultures. We see similar strands of beads in various contexts, from Buddhist malas to Christian rosaries, each serving as a tool for prayer and contemplation. This act of counting, touching each bead, and repeating mantras, helps to quiet the mind and connect with the spiritual world. The image of the man absorbed in his beads is, in itself, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The cyclical progression of this symbol is evident in how it has resurfaced and evolved in different historical contexts, embodying a continuous thread of human spirituality. This motif has traversed time and cultures, carrying with it the weight of collective memory and subconscious associations, reminding us of our shared human quest for meaning and transcendence.