SABHAN ADAM - BIOGRAPHY

Painting, Prints

Born in Hassaka, Sabhan Adam (1973) is a self-taught artist who creates works in relative isolation from the art world. A prolific artist, he has built up his career in both traditional and independent ways through exhibiting with galleries but also independently marketing and self-funding work and publications.

Challenging notions of beauty and ugliness, Sabhan Adam paints portraits of misshapen creatures often clothed in glamourous attire against plain backgrounds. While distorted and monstrous, the figures hold a complex set of emotions based on Adam’s own psychology. He states: "The figures I paint have so many things in common with me – they look like me, they have the same head and the same Asian eyes as me. I draw myself with everything that exists inside ¬– the sadness, the misery, the shocking things I have faced, the isolation, and the feeling of not belonging to this world.”

Reflecting his outsider artist temperament, Sabhan says that his work is ultimately influenced by his experiences and that “knowledge comes from the truth, not through being influenced by someone’s work.” He emphasizes that his human creations are attached to the “pain, fear and phobia which our society constantly suffers from.” Ruminating on his own suffering, he writes: “I like people and I love nature but when there is so much pain inside of you and around you it’s impossible to draw just birds and flowers.”

Adam has exhibited at institutions such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the Venice Biennale. His work has been acquired by the British Museum, Jalanbo Collection, Barjeel Art Foundation, and is in many private collections.

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Solo Exhibitions:

• Polad-Hardouin Gallery-Paris –France 2014

• Nicole Evin Gallery -France 2014

• Art Talk Gallery - Egypt 2014

• Mark Hashim Gallery-Lebanon 2012

• Mark Hashim Gallery-Paris (France) 2012

• Mark Hashim Gallery-New York 2012

• Zara Gallery-Jordan 2011

• Sotheby Gallery- London 2011

• International Venice Biennale- Venice 2011

• British National Museum-UK 2011

• Mark Hashim Gallery-Lebanon 2011

• Tilal Gallery-Kuwait 2011

• George Kamel Gallery-Damascus (Syria) 2011

• Mark Hashim Gallery-Paris (France) 2011

• Mark Hashim Gallery-New York 2011

• Zara Gallery- Jordan 2010

• Christie's – Dubai 2010

• 2CarGarage Contemporary Art Gallery-USA 2009

• Galerie kreo-Paris (France) 2009

• London Gallery-UK 2009

• Uffizi Gallery –Florence (Italy) 2009

• Dimensions Gallery- USA 2009

• Arab World Institute –Paris –France 2009

• G.K Gallery –Damascus- Syria 2008

• Saeb Eigner –London 2008

• Le Rat Mort Gallery –Brussel-Belgium 2008

• Art Holber, Portugal 2008

• Mezze Art, new York 2008

• Gavine Morris Gallery, New York-USA 2008

• Cherfan Gallery 2008

• Janine Rubeiz, Beiruit -Lebanon 2008

• Mattis Gallery, Morocco 2008

• Art House Gallery, Damascus –Syria 2008

• Le Violon Bleu-London –UK 2008

• French Cultural Centre, Damascus -Syria 2008

• Polad-Hardouin Gallery-Paris –France 2008

• Art space-(Dubai) 2008

• Art-House –Damascus-Syria 2008

• XVA-Galerie Dubai –UAE 2007

• Musees des beaux-art du Mans Paris-France 2007

• Galerie idees d’artists Paris –France 2007

• Galerie Meyer le Bihan Paris- France 2007

• Espace cultural Andre Marlaux Paris-France 2007

• Foresight – Galerie Amman –Jordanie 2007

• Galerie Fallet. Geneve-Suisse 2006

• Galerie Mathias Beck. Hambourg. Allemagne 2006

• Home Art, Perros-Guirec. France 2006

• Chapelle Sainte –Anne. Tours. France 2006

• Art Space. Dubai-AUE 2006

• Galerie Karim Francis-Cairo-Egypt 2006

• Centre cultural Anre Marlaux Le Kremline-Bicetre (France) 2005

• Galerie idees d’artists –Paris (France) 2005

• Cabinet Rouer, Bernard. Bretout et Yearlings Corporate Finance Paris (France). 2005

• Chocolateris du Kremline –Bicetre (France) 2005

• Escape SD –Beyrouth (Liban) 2004

• Galerie Zara –Amman (Jordanie) 2004

• Galerie Daniel Duchoze –Rouen (France) 2004

• Galerie Artimis Tunis (Tunisie) 2004

• Galerie Off-Ample-arcelone (Espagne) 2004

• Phyllis Kind Gallery-New York –USA 2004

• “La Comedie humaine”- Galerie idees d’artists –Paris (France). 2003

• “One man show”- Mediatheque Francois Mitterrand –Les Ulis (France) 2003

• Centre cultural francais-Damascus (Syria) 2003

• Galerie Agial –Beyrouth (Liban) 2002

• Galerie Zara –Amman (Jordanie) 2002

• Centre cultural francais-Damascus (Syria) 2002

• Artium du Faubourg –Tripoli (Liban) 2002

• Maison cultural Francais –Beyrouth –Liban 2002

• Galerie Commines –Paris (France) 2002

• Centre cultural Francais –Damas (Syria) 2001

• Galerie Orient –Amman (Jordanie) 2000

• Espace de Lille –Nice (Franance) 1999

• Galerie Cite internationale des Arts –Paris (France) 1999

• Galerie Transversale –Paris (France) 1999

• Le pont Gallery Aleepo –Syria 1999

• Hotel Cham –Place –Alep (Syria) 1998

• Galerie Bruno Frey –Dijon (France) 1998

• Centre cultural francais –Damas (Syria) 1996

• Centre Cervantes –Damas (Syria) 1995

• Centre cultural francais-Damas (Syria) 1995

• Le pont Gallery –Aleppo –Syria 1995

• Galerie Agial –Beyrouth (Liban) 1995

• Institute Goethe –Damas (Syria) 1994

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Collective Exhibitions:

• Le Zebre bleu 2008

• Chelsea Art Galleries 2008

• Middle East –Opera Gallery. Paris, New York, Miami & Singapore. 2008

• Kunstaspekte-Kunst Internationnal. 2008

• Gallerie del Leon 2008

• Kunsasss –Kunst Internationnal 2008

• Gallerie del Leon 2008

• Kunstler auf Artnet 2008

• Art Galleries in new Bond Street, London. 2008

• Saudi Aramco world. 2008

• Time out Beirut Gallery. 2008

• NYAB Event Exhibition. 2008

• Art in The City (Tunisia) 2008

• Palm beach Museum USA 2008

• Museum Frankfurt-Germany "Arab Festival" 2006

• Rencontres "A3-art"-Paris (France) 2005

• Solan de Mai-Paris (|France) 2005

• "Desire brusts"-Les Ulis (France) 2004

• "Outside Art Fair"-Phyllis Kind Gallery New York (Etats-Unis) 2004

• Festival Art & Dechirure –Rouen (France) 2004

• Art Paris – Gallerie idees d'artistes-France. 2004

Salon d' Angers- Paris- France 2003