Born in 1975, Odeissé, Lebanon
Lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon
Ayman Baalbaki is a Lebanese artist, living and working in Beirut. He studied Fine Arts in Beirut and at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. Born during the Lebanese civil war in the 1970s, Baalbaki draws most of his inspiration from this subject matter. In 2012, Baalbaki was part of the The Future of a Promise at the 54th Venice Biennale: the first pan-Arab exhibition of contemporary art to feature in the festival. This exhibition brought together more than 25 recent works by some foremost artists of the Arab world. His work depicted warriors wearing veils or casks. His paintings often describe the seemingly endless conflicts that haunt the Middle East.
Education:
2002 – 2003. D.E.A. in “Art of Images and Contemporary art” at Paris VIII, France.
2001 – 2002. Diploma of superior studies in Art-Space at the ENSAD, Paris, France.
1994 – 1998. Diploma of superior studies in Painting and Sculpting at the Institute of Fine Art, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Solo Exhibitions:
2011. Beirut again and again, Rose Issa Projects, London, UK.
2010. Ciel chargé de fleurs, Luce Gallery, Turin, Italy.
2009. Ceci n’est pas la Suisse, Rose Issa Projects, London, UK.
2008. Apocalyptic Transfiguration, Agial Art Gallery, Lebanon.
2007. T-Marbouta, Beirut, Lebanon.
2006. «Ici est ailleurs», Agial Art Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
2002. Presence Absence, Maison du Liban, CIUP, France.
Group Exhibitions:
2013. Safar/Voyage: Contemporary works by Arab, Iranian and Turkish artists, MOA, Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, Canada.
2013. L’insondable surface, Institut Français de Beyrouth, Liban.
2013. 25 ans de créativité Arabe, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France.
2013. 25 years of Arab Creativity, Abu Dhabi Festival, UAE.
2013. Art Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
2012. Art is the answer!, Villa Empain (Boghossian Foundation), Brussels, Belguim.
2012. Traits d’Union – Paris et l’art contemporain arabe, The Venue, Beirut, Lebanon.
2012. Traits d’Union – Paris et l’art contemporain arabe, Musee National de Sanaa, Yemen.
2012. Re-Orientation II, Rose Issa Projects, London,UK.
2012. Menasart-Fair 2012, Beirut, Lebanon.
2011. Contemporary Lebanese Art Exhibition, Royal College Of Art, London, UK.
2011. Traits d’Union – Paris et l’art contemporain arabe, Villa Emerige, Paris, France.
2011. The Future of a Promise, 54th Venice biennale, Italy
2011. Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art, Christie’s, Dubai, UAE.
2011. Art Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
2011. Menasart-Fair 2011, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010. Monica de Cardenas Galleria (Project Room), Milano, Italy.
2010. Nujoom: Constellations of Arab Art from The Farjam Collection, Dubai, UAE.
2010. Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
2010. Zoom Contemporary Art Fair, Miami, USA.
2010. Convergence: New Art From Lebanon, Washington, USA.
2010. Connecting Heavens, Green Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE.
2010. Arabicity: Such A Near East, Liverpool, UK.
2010. Arabicity, Beirut exhibition center, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010. Menasart-Fair 2010, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010. Beirut City Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
2010. Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Including Arab & Iranian Art, London, UK.
2010. Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern & South Asian Art, Bonham’s, Dubai.
2010. Kasa 10.yil, Sabanci University’s “Kasa Art Gallery”, Istanbul, Turkey.
2009. In the Middle of the Middle, Sfeir-Semler, Beirut, Lebanon.
2009. Rafia Gallery, Damascus, Syria.
2009. International Modern & Contemporary Art, Christie’s, Dubai, UAE.
2009. Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Including Arab & Iranian Art, London, UK.
2009. Art Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
2008. Bos laf, Sabanci University’s “Kasa Art Gallery”, Istanbul, Turkey.
2008. Sotheby’s Contemporary Art, Doha, Qatar.
2008. ArtDubai, Dubai, UAE.
2008. International Modern & Contemporary Art, Christie’s, Dubai.
2008. AIW:A workshop, Aley, Lebanon.
2007. Shatana workshop, Shatana, Jordan.
2006.Homage to Léopold-Sédar Senghor, Beirut, Lebanon.
2006. Arteclassica, 3era. Feria de Arte, Buenos Ayres, Argentina.
2005. XXIII biennial of Alexandria of the countries of the Mediterranean, Egypt.
2005. National Museum of Niger, Niamey, Niger.
2005. «Studio 4-11», Belfast – UK.
2004. EL BAB, Shams - Theatre of Beirut, Lebanon.
2003. «Cm³», CIUP, France.
2003. «Cerfs-volants d’artistes», Maison du Liban, CIUP, France.
2002. Imagining the Book, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt.
2002. Manufacture des Oeillets (ENSAD), Paris, France.
2002. Mulhouse 002, Acadamy of art in France, Mulhouse, France.
2002. CIUP, France.
2001. Zara Gallery, Amman, Jordan.
2001. Darat Al - Founoun, Amman, Jordan.
2000. CIUP, France.
2000. Association of the Lebanese Artists, Beirut, Lebanon.
1998. Cultural centre of Southern Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
1998. JABAL 98, Tripoli, Lebanon.
1997. Lebanese cultural Movement, Tyr, Lebanon.
1996. «EMPREINTES», Maraya Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.
Prizes:
2005. «Jeux de la francophonie 2005» Silver Medal (painting), Niamey, Niger.
2003. Cm ³ (first prize), CIUP, France.
1996. "EMPREINTES" (first prize), organized by Maraya Gallery and Lebanese Ministry of Culture and Higher Education, Beirut, Lebanon.