Marwan Kassab-Bachi

An award-winning Syrian artist born in Damascus, Kassab Bachi is best known for his figurative paintings. He studied Arabic Literature at Damascus University, before leaving for Europe in 1957. Much of his life was spent in Berlin, where he studied and taught. Kassab Bachi's many accolades include the first prize for sculpture in Damascus (1957); the Karl Hofer Award (977); and the Merit Order of the Federal Republic of Germany, which he received in 2005. He attended the Masterclass for Painting of Hann Trier at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Berlin and in 1977 became Professor of Art and Painting at the Hochschule der Künste. From 1994 onwards, he was a member of the Akademie der Künste Berlin-Bradenburg.

His work can be found in many private and public collections, including Guggenheim (UAE); Staatliche Museen Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Nationalgalerie und Birzeit (Germany); and the National Museum Damascus (Syria). His exhibitions include a survey show at the Barjeel Foundation in Shariah (2014) and a solo show at the Mosaic Rooms in London (2015).