ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Rafat Asad is a Palestinian artist born in Nablus in 1974. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Al Najah University in 1998, with a focus on painting. Although a painter first and foremost, Asad is a multi-disciplinary artist, who produces light and sound installations, as well as video art and performances. Taking abstract painting as his point of departure, his work has evolved to focus on the Palestinian landscape through a minimalist style. Asad is also the co-founder and artistic director of Al-Mahatta Gallery, chair of the board of directors of the Balata Cultural Forum and a member of the Palestinian Artists’ League. He currently lives and works in Ramallah.

landscape is a main source of inspiration. He works by memorising visual imagery, charging his memory with hundreds of views that he later uses for his art projects and paintings: “I paint what I see, I paint what I know”. The process of painting becomes an emotional act of reminiscence, where he constantly returns to the places he gazed.
Rafat’s artistic process is also politically charged. As a Palestinian artist, he understands the symbolic weight that landscape carries: “Because of the many concrete and metal barriers that prevent visual communication or physical access, Palestinians tend to be disconnected from their environmental and natural surroundings.” Rafat then utilises his personal experiences and knowledge to work, research and create images that speak of the surroundings in which he lives and exists. Through a visual exploration, he presents nature in Palestine in its problematic and realistic form, examining the way in which humans, and the occupation in particular, affect the landscape through exploitation and tampering.

Personal:

Born on February 11th 1974, Nablus.

Lives and Works in Ramallah.

Education:

1998. BA in fine Arts, specializing in “Painting”, Al Najah University, Nablus.

Membership:

Al-Studio… TBC, co-founder.

Al-Mahatta Gallery, co-founder and art director/ art director.

Balata Cultural Forum.

League of Palestinian Artists, member.

Solo Exhibitions:

2024. Residential Block, The Palestinian Museum, Ramallah.

2022. Mediterranean Sea, Satellites of Art- Zürich,

2016. Bypass (Eltifaf), Gallery One – Ramallah.

2015. Marj Ibn Amer, Zawyeh Gallery – Ramallah.

2006. Maps, Delfina Studios – London.

2006. Narrative, A. M. Qattan Foundation, Ramallah.

1999. Visions and Abstracts, Child Cultural Center, Nablus.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2022. December Happening: Collective Art Exhibition , Bab idDeir Art Gallery – Bethlehem.

2022- 23 Supermarket Art fair, Stockholm, Sweden.

2021 - 22 Ramallah Art Fair 2022, Zawyeh Gallery – Ramallah.

2020. weed Control Exhibition, A M Qattan Foundation, Ramallah.

2019. Art for all Collective, Fann A Porter, The Workshop Dubai.

2017. A sight of Disjunction, Beit Saa, Ramallah.

2017. Sensorial Immunity, Gallery One, Ramallah.

2015- 16-17 Supermarket Art fair, Stockholm, Sweden.

2015. Art Bahrain, Bahrain.

2015. Re-Think Palestine workshop, Jericho, Palestine.

2015. The First Alexandria symposium for Mediterranean Arts, Alexandria, Egypt.

2014 International art festival, Satif, Algeria.

2013 Colors of Life, Zawyeh Gallery.

2012 The 11th Havana Biennale, Cuba.

2011 Here & Now Exhibition Center for Contemporary Art Lazania, Gdansk, Poland.

2011 Back and Forth, Almahatta Gallery, Ramallah, Palestine.

2010 The 1st International Festival of Contemporary Art (FIAC of Algiers).

2010 Creative Palestinian Art, SAWA Gallery, Dubai, UAE.

2009 The Other Shadow of the City, Jerusalem.

2009 Outside inside, Almahatta Gallery, Ramallah, Palestine.

2008 Passport Exhibition, In memory of the Poet Mahmoud Darwish, Al-Mahatta Gallery, Ramallah, Palestine.

2008 Passport Exhibition, Dart Alfonon, Amman, Jordan; Al Sharja – UAE.

2007-2006 Occupied Space, Art for Palestine, London.

2006 Roushan Festival of the Minor Works of Art, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

2006 Promise of Freedom and Life, La Fleche, France.

2006 Behind the Wall, Tamreh Gallery, Al-Jalil.

2005 A Painting and a Picture, Manoire Gallery, Martigny in Switzerland.

2005 World Day for Solidarity with Palestine, UN Headquarters, New York.

2005 Kan Yama Kan, one of the five commissioned artists for Steve Sabella’s installation, exhibited at the French

Cultural Center, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem.

2004 Palestinian Colors, Lebanese Ministry of Culture, Beirut.

2004 The Asian African Exhibition “Jaala”, Tokyo, Japan.

2003 Al Hallaj Gallery opening Exhibition, Palestinian Artists League, Ramallah

Art Workshops & Art Residencies & Talks:

2017 Friday Lunch: Artist Talk Deveron Projects, The Town is the Venue, Scotlan

2015 Residency at Cite Des Arts, Paris.

2012 Residency at Slade School of art, London.

2010 The sixth Mediterranean Biennale of Tunisia, Tunisia.

2009 Connected: 09 workshop ‘styrian summer art’, Austria.

2007 Shatana workshop, Jordan.

2006 Residency in Delfina Studio Trust, London.

2004-2005. Participated in the Tow workshops designed for establishing the International Academy of Art in Ramallahas part of

a selected of young artists, organized by the Palestinian Association for Contemporary Art, PACA

Selected Artworks:

2020. Weight of a grain of mustard - Fibreglass and lighting, Installation, 150 x 50 cm,

Weed Control Exhibition, A.M. Qattan Foundation. Ramallah

2017. Landing – audio, Photograph, Painting - Installation project . Gallery One, Ramallah

2011. Railway street - audio & objects - installation project.

2010 Journey – Tow video Channels installation project.

2007 Waiting-Absence - audio installation project.

2006 Water-Absence; drawing and installation, in cooperation with Matthew Robinson, British artist.

2004. Waiting-Absence Light installation project.

Professional:

2021-2023. Academic supervisor and visual artsTeacher, Visual Arts Forum – Ramallah.

2018-2021. Researcher/ ARTs in Education track , A M Qattan Foundation, Ramallah.

2014-2017. Freelance Trainer, My Studio, Ramallah.

2014. Art Director, Project Chaos - FAUDA (Music Video Clip) Ramallah.

2013. Art Director, EYES OF THE THIEF (movie), by Najwa Najjar - Ramallah.

2010-2011. Visual art teacher at Alquds Univercity, Abudis – Jerusalem.

2010. Member of the Multimedia diploma curriculum development committee,

the Center for Continuing Education, Birzeit University - Ramallah.

2008-2010. Director, Al-Mahatta Gallery - Ramallah.

2007-2009 Art coordinator and Graphic Designer, Filistin Ashabab Magazine, Turbo Design - Ramallah.

2000-2003. Designer at Bailasan – Ramallah.

2005-2007. Designer at collage productions - Ramallah.

2005 Leading the Team of the Graphic design curriculum development - Palestine Technical College.

2003-2006. teacher at the young artists forum – Ramallah.

2000-2003. Graphic design and fine art teacher at Palestine Technical College – Ramallah.

2000-2001. Designer and painter at the Palestinian curriculum center – Ramallah.

1998-1999. Art teacher at AnNajah National University – Nablus.

Community Art and Education Projects:

2022-2023. Director “Community Art Workshops” with Artist Emilio Lopez Manchero

Visual Arts Forum and École nationale supérieure des arts visuels de La Cambre.

1. “To be an Artist in Kufur Ni’meh” / Kufur Ni’meh – Ramallah.
(Workshop and Exhibition by young artists and students).

2. “The Line” / La Cambre – Brussels.

(Workshop and Exhibition by Young Artists and Students)

3. “Art Today in a Place of Yesterday” / Birzeit – Ramallah.
(Workshop and Exhibition by Young Artists and Students..

4. “Moving by Drawing . Drawing by Moving” / La Cambre – Brussels.

(Exhibition by Young Artists, Students), Group Works.

2018-2021. Researcher/ ARTs in Education, A M Qattan Foundation, Educational Research & Development Programme.

2016-2018. Art Trainer and Researcher, A M Qattan Foundation , Educational Research & Development Programme.

1. The Third Hand “To... and from Qalqilya.

(Exhibition by Social Activists, Teachers, Students), Group Works. Qalqilya.

2. Profiles “From the Community, to the Individual Experience.

(Exhibition by Social Activists, Teachers, Students), Qalqilya.

3. the Town Ceiling “From the Community, to the Individual Experience.

(Exhibition by Social Activists, Teachers, Students), Group Works. Nilin.

2011-2014. Projects Director, including art education program, Al-Mahatta Gallery - Ramallah.

2009-2012.Director “Al-Mahatta Interational Artists Workshop”.

2008-2010 Director “Community Art Workshops”. Young Artists,

1. “Let’s Make Bread” (Exhibition by Young Artists, Students), Group Works.

2. “Inside Outside” (Exhibition by Young Artists, Students), Group Works.

3. “Back and Forth” (Exhibition by Young Artists, Students), Group Works.