Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, Iraq & Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad, Iraq
Known for
Contemporary Artist; Iraqi Contemporary Artist
Website
www.4ghassan.com
Ghassan Ghaib (born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1964) is an Iraqi-American artist.
Early life
Ghassan Ghaib was born in Baghdad in 1964. He obtained degrees from the Institute of Fine Arts in 1986 and the Academy of Fine Arts in 1997. Ghassan began crafting sculptures with clay in his family's garden, and later transitioned to creating small paintings through his drawings.
Ghaib is part of a generation that experienced wars in Iraq, ranging from the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to the Persian Gulf war in the 1990s, culminating in the US invasion in 2003. Due to the wars, he had to leave Iraq and seek refuge in Amman, Jordan, where he set up his studio. Consequently, themes of displacement, loss, and memory took center stage in his portfolio.[1]
Later he moved to Los Angeles.
Work
Ghaib's work is held in a number of permanent collections including the British Museum; Jordanian National Museum; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar; and Art Center for Fine Arts, Baghdad.[2] In his work titled Homage to al-Mutanabbi Street 1 (2007). Ghassan Ghaib presents a book-object that embodies both destruction and preservation. The book is bound with barbed wire, giving the impression of containing explosive content beyond our imagination. Despite appearing contained, there's an undeniable sense of immense pressure held within its pages.[3]
Solo exhibitions
2001 Orfali Gallery, Amman
2005 Alwasham, Dar Alanda Art Gallery, Amman
2010 Banned from paradise. Karim Gallhery, Amman
2019 Butterfly Wing. Orfali Gallery, Amman.
Selected group exhibitions
1986 The First International Iraqi Art Festival, Baghdad
1988 The Second International Iraqi Art Festival, Baghdad
1991 Contemporary Iraqi Art Exhibition, Amman
1992 Three Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Baghdad
1992 Three Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Baladna Gallery, Amman
1995 A Group Exhibition, Hiwar Gallery, Baghdad
1996 A Group Exhibition, Ab'ad Gallery, Amman
1997 Environment and Surroundings in Iraqi Art Exhibition, Jordanian National Museum, Amman
1998 A Group Exhibition, Hiwar Gallery, Baghdad
1999 Three Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Agyal Gallery, Beirut
2000 A Group Exhibition, Athar Gallery, Baghdad
2000 Iraqi Art Exhibition, Arab World Institute, Paris
2001 Six Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Dar Al Bareh, Bahrain
2002 Asian Art Biennale, Bangladesh
2002 Joint Exhibition with Samer Usama, Four Walls Gallery, Amman
2003 "Before.After.Now" Exhibition, Deluxe Gallery, London
2003 Contemporary artists from Iraq, Green-art Gallery, Dubai
2004 Artists Books Exhibition, Ten Iraqi Artists, Frankfort Exhibition International
2004 Omage to Shakir Hssan Al Said Exhibition, Al Orfaly art gallery
2005 Homage to Shakir Hassan Al Said & Ismail Fattah Exhibition, Athar art gallery, Baghdad
2005 Iraqi Art, East West Foundation, Holland
2005 Three Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Athar Art Gallery, Baghdad
^RIZWAN, FATIMA., "Memory Lane An ode to the literary soul of Baghdad" Caravan Magazine, 30 April 2023, Online:
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