Iyad Ramadan Sabbah is a Palestinian sculptor born 1973 in Gaza who lives and works there. He studied at Fateh University in Lybia where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Sculpture. He holds an MA Fine Art Sculpture from Helwan University in Cairo.
Sabbah is a well know sculptor who became famous for his beach exhibition called “Worn Out”. His sculptures and the installations he uses are very artistic- many of his works have taken on an overt political tone.
In this case of “Worn Out” Palestine is all over his artwork, he uses his art to show the suffering of his people.
This exhibition is meant to show the horrors Palestinians faced in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza city, which saw some of the heaviest fighting in the summer’s 50-day conflict (2014). More than 2,200 people were killed, 11,200 civilians were injured and thousands of houses were razed by Israel.
Sabbah explained that this exhibition represents the psychological impact of war and commemorate those who died.
Shuja’iyya neighborhood is one of the places that was completely destroyed. The artist wanted with this work to focus on displacement of the Palestinians. He is completely sure that there has been a violation of humanity in all of the Gaza community as a result if the aggression.
All the sculptures were created using mud and waste materials found in bombsites.
The sculputures were also placed on the beach in Gaza to symbolize the refugees fleeing to other countries illegally in a desperate attempt to escape the conflict.
The familly of seven clay figures including a small child and a baby appear to moved through debris and rubble and past shelled homes.
Personal Exhibitions
Earth Gallery – Tripoli -1993
Fair point of view – Tripoli -1994
Folds Gallery – Arts and Crafts Village – Gaza
Gallery shades of red – the French Center in Gaza and moved to the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center in Ramallah 2009
Gallery outside the box – Qattan Center – Gaza 2010
Exhibitions and awards
Nasser University Gallery – Tripoli 1993
Planetarium Gallery – Tripoli – Libya – 1994
Red Crescent Gallery – Khan Younis -1990
Fine Artists Association Gallery – Rashad grilling – Gaza – 2001
Gallery of Fine Artists Association – Municipal Library Auditorium – Rafah
Vanguard Gallery Forty – fifth -2005 – Cairo – Egypt
The Alexandrian Alexandria Biennale XXIII – 2005 – Cairo – Egypt
Spring Fair – Ramallah -2003
Gallery artists from the Gaza Strip – Paris and surfed some French cities – 2007
Shield Association artists -2002
Art Lovers Society Award – 2005
Third prize in the competition did not Mobile ( White Night ) French Cultural Center -2007
Bank of Palestine Award – in Palestine 2009 Art Competition
Gallery 10 artists from Gaza – Paris – 2009
Gallery traces the war – Photography – French Center Strip – 2009
Dual exhibition durable – Deira Hotel – Gaza 2009
See gallery for faculty members at the University of Max – the French Center – Gaza 2009
Exhibition case – Rashad Shawa of Gaza 2010
Gallery 22 – Power Windows – 2010
Vss visual gallery – gallery convergence -2010 of
Gallery in Shi needed becomes – gallery -2010 Federation of
Palestinian Art Gallery – Dubai – Art only – 2010
Gallery Palestine in the eyes of young people – Bir Zeit – Nablus – Bethlehem – 2010
Auction yard – Jerusalem 2010
Collective exhibition Sharm El Sheikh 2011
Czech group exhibition 2012
A group exhibition of the Sultanate of Oman 2012
Collective exhibition – Czech Republic – 2012
Gallery fingerprints – Tunisia – 2013
Art gallery and workshop – Konia Turkey 2013 AD
Business Field
The launch of the Phoenix Monument – Palestine Square – Gaza
Monument dream of return – field Abu Hamid – , Khan Younis
Mermaid monument complex Italian – Gaza
Monument of redemption – the field of the 17 – Rafah
Festival honoring shield of Arab Artists 2009
Mental Health Shield 2010
Shield Strip Festival 2011
Shield Theater 2011
Key shield Gaza 2012
Medal of the Jerusalem International Prize 2012
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4R1qMnMkTE
“Worn Out”
Sources:
Further reading:
– Palestinian artist: sculptures spotlight Palestinian displacement
http://thecairopost.com/news/127508/news/palestinian-artist-sculptures-spotlight-palestinian-displacement