Nizar Sabour

Nizar Sabour was born in 1958 in Lattakia, Syria. Nizar graduated from Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting and Drawing in 1981, Damascus, Syria. He has a PhD in Philosophy and Sciences of Art, Moscow, Russia 1990. Currently, Nizar is a teaching professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Damascus University as well as a Professor at the International Private University for Science & Technology, Syria.

Nizar Sabour’s artworks conform to two main themes, the first containing strong religious undertones, that reflect the artist’s fascination with religious imagery, whether Christian, Islamic or pagan. The second theme is especially poetic and reminiscent of Dada collages.

Sabour’s images tend to appear archaic, often using ‘traditional’ elements, in diptych and triptychs. Some of his works are carved in wood, while others are painted on canvas. He often employs flattened perspectives and a minimal colour pallete, using materials reminiscent of the Dada movement as opposed to the delicate precise nature of religious iconography.

From the 1970s, Sabour’s work has been on display at numerous prestigious international solo and group exhibitions all over the world – from the Middle East to Asia, Europe and North America. He has exhibited in the following countries: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Greece, Tunisia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, UAE, Turkey, USA, Germany, France, Switzerland, Russia and China.

Awards:

1995 - First Prize of Painting, First Almahabba Biennale, Lattakia, Syria.

1995 - Certificate of Recognition, Second Sharjha Biennale, Sharjah.

2004 - First Prize of Painting, International Art Symposium, Dubai.

2006 - Prize for the Fourth Tahran Biennale of Contemporary Art in the Islamic world.

The artist works are found in Kinda Foundation, Emaar Foundation, Oscar Gallery, Washington, in Private Collections distributed around the world.