Ghassan Ghaib

Ghassan Ghaib (born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1964) is an Iraqi-American artist whose art has graced the walls of museums and galleries across the globe.
Life And career
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.In his early years, Ghassan spent time crafting sculptures with clay in his family's garden, and later, he transitioned to creating small paintings through his drawings. Like many Iraqi intellectuals and artists, Ghaib is part of a generation that has experienced momentous 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 of Iraq 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 vast artistic portfolio.
Work
Ghaib's work is held in a number of permanent collections including
The British Museum, London; Jordanian National Museum, Amman; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar; Art Center for Fine Arts, Baghdad.
In his work titled "Homage to al-Mutanabbi Street 1" (2007), Ghassan Ghaib, currently residing in Los Angeles, presents a book-object that embodies both destruction and preservation. Enclosed within itself, the book is bound tightly with barbed wire, giving the impression of containing explosive content that remains beyond our imagination. Despite appearing contained, there's an undeniable sense of immense pressure held within its pages.
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 Artsits 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
2005 Seven Iraqi Artists Exhibition, Besan Gallery, Qatar - Alrwaq Gallery, Bahrain - 4 Walls Gallery, Amman
2006 Word Into Art Artists Of Modern Middle East/ British Museum/London
2006 Mondial De Líestampe Et De La Gravure Originale / France
2006 3rd Internatinal Collage Exhibition Vilnius / Lithuania
2007 "Positive Negative", Joint Exhibition with Nazar Yahia. Dar Al Bareh, Bahrain
2009 Beyond Boundaries Interpretation Of 9 Artists, Karim Gallery, Amman
2010 My Home Land Seven Iraqi Artists Exhibition
2010 Art in Iraq today.part II . Meem Gallery .Dubai
2011 Art in Iraq today. Conclusion . Meem Gallery .Dubai and Beirut
2012 Nostalgia .Ghassan Ghaib with Ahmed AL Bahrani .JACARANDA IMAGES .Amman
2013 GDCA art gallery -Los Angeles CA
2016 Fabric expo art fair - Los Angeles CA
2001 Orfali Gallery, Amman
2017 LACDA art gallery - Los Angeles CA
2019 Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts- Object of Imagination . Contemporary Arab Ceramics.
2019 Theater of Operations, The Gulf War 1991-2011. MoMA PS1's Exhibition.NEW YOURK.
2022 Exhibition Amakin - Jeddah
2022 Exhibition Amakin - Al Dammam .
Awards
1987 The 6th Al Wasiti Award
1996 3rd Award, Contemporary Iraqi Art Festival, Baghdad
2000 Creativity Award, Baghdad
References
1964 births
Living people
Iraqi artists
American artists