SAID BAALBAKI
“UMBRUCH”
October 2017

Said Baalbaki

Said Baalbaki – Umbruch
Malerei, Arbeiten auf Papier/painting, works on paper

 

20. Oktober – 25. November 2017/October 20 – November 25, 2017

Vernissage: Freitag, 20. Oktober 2017, 19-21 Uhr/Opening: Friday, October 20, 2017, 7-9pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Said Baalbaki, ohne Titel/untitled (Detail), 2009, Acryl auf Papier/acrylic on paper, 42 x 30 cm

Said Baalbaki, Der Imker (rot) 2017, Öl auf Leinwand/
oil on canvas, 140 x 110 cm
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In July of this year, the German-Lebanese artist Said Baalbaki successfully completed his studio scholarship on the roof of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin as part of the Artist in Residence Programme in cooperation with the Landesverband Berliner Galerien (lvbg). The programme also includes an exhibition in the respective gallery of the artist in the year of his scholarship to provide further insights into the oeuvre. The exhibition, “Umbruch”, now represents his return to his painterly work, when Baalbaki realised his conceptual project COOKWAR (E)-101, in which he transformed kitchen utensils such as pots, pans and cutlery into military objects such as armour, shields and helmets. Both artistic expressions are characteristic of Baalbaki, complementing each other and parallels in their theme world.

With his childhood and adolescence shaped by the experiences of the Lebanese civil war, Baalbaki’s current pictures address the absurdity of war and violence, humanitarian questions of loss and identity, greed and power, religious and cultural issues and profound change in the political, economic and social order. He devotes himself consistently to these themes through various motifs, which are an integral part of his visual language. For example, with everyday items such as suitcases and books he shapes “Mon (t) Liban”, which recall the legendary mountains of Lebanon, which have been praised in the Bible.
Another important reference of the presented pieces is art history itself: Baalbaki finds inspiration, for example, in the artworks by Goya, Bruegel and Duchamp. The monumental back figure in “Le Bilboquet” recalls the “Colossus” (1810) by Francisco de Goya, whose artistic confrontation with questions of power, occupation and violence the artist shares. The nightmarish, crouching back figure with the money bag and the flatterers in the central picture “Der Bestecher”, after Pieter Bruegel the elder, visualises another side of power, which is closely linked to money and the greed for it. Painting itself becomes an affirmative organic process against destruction and expulsion. It not only raises existential humanitarian questions, but also conveys the poetry of a pictorial utopia.

Said Baalbaki (born 1974 in Beirut), lives and works in Berlin; he studied at the Beaux-Arts Institute in Beirut, at the Khalid Shoman Foundation, Darat al Funun in Amman with Marwan (Summer Academy), and 2002-2005 at UdK Berlin, where he graduated from the masterclass of Burkhard Held. From 2006 to 2008, he graduated from the Institute of Art in the context of the UdK with a Master of Arts degree in which he deepened the location of artistic work in a social context. Collections et al: Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; British Museum, London; Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris; Collection Solidere, Beirut; Sursock Museum and Saradar Collection, Beirut; Collection Till Richter Museum, Buggenhagen, Germany as well as in international private collections.

1974geboren in Beirut, Libanon / born in Beirut, Lebanon
1994-1998Studium der Malerei an der Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts, Beirut / studied painting at Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts, Beirut
2000-2001Sommer Akademie bei Marwan, Darat al Funun. Amman, Jordanien
2002-2005Studium der Malerei an der Universität der Künste, Berlin, Meisterschüler bei Burkhard Held / studied painting at Universität der Künste, Berlin, Meisterschüler with Burkhard Held
2006-2008Master of Arts, Institut für Kunst im Kontext, UdK Berlin
seit 2021Lehrauftrag/lectureship, UdK Berlin
 lebt und arbeitet in Berlin und in Beirut / lives and works in Berlin and Beirut
Preise und Stipendien/Awards and scholarships
2005Preisträger / awardee des „Meisterschülerpreis des Präsidenten“, UdK Berlin
2006Stipendium Solidere’s „Artist in Residence“, Beirut / Solidere's Artists in Residence Program, Beirut
2008Stipendium / scholarship „Graduiertenschule für die Künste und die Wissenschaften“, UdK Berlin
2016Stipendium / scholarship AFAC Visual Arts (The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture), Beirut
Recherchestipendium / scholarship for research, Senat Berlin, Berlin
2017AArtist in Residence, Auswärtiges Amt in Zusammenarbeit mit dem lvbg/Federal Foreign Office in cooperation with lvbg, Berlin
2022Recherchestipendium / scholarship for research, Senat Berlin, Berlin
Einzelausstellungen (Auswahl)/selected solo exhibitions
2023"Gestern wie heute", Galerie Nord/Kunstverein Tiergarten, Berlin
2022„SAID BAALBAKI - HEIM WEH(EN)", Atelier 22, Celle, Germany
2020„Jussuf Abbo - Der heimatlose Prinz" präsentiert von Said Baalbaki, Atelier 22, Celle, Germany
2019„Sehn-Sucht", C&K Galerie, Berlin
2018„Jussuf Abbo - The Sculptor in the Bedouin Tent“, Agial Art Gallery, Beirut
2017„Umbruch“, C&K Galerie, Berlin
2016„Lost“, mit/with Yasser Safi, Art-Lab Berlin im iPhonedoctor, Berlin
„Wo Milch und Honig fließen“, Katholische Kirchengemeinde St. Christophorus, Berlin
2015„Memories of Stones“, mit/with Emannuel Regent , Agial Art Gallery, Beirut
„Beyrouth mon amour“, Galerie Anelix Forever, Genf/Geneva, Schweiz/Switzerland
„Milk and Honey“, Galerie Kampl, München/Munich, Germany
2014„RISS“, mit/with Ali Kaaf, CundKunterwegs Galerie, Berlin
“Le Musée imaginaire“, Viennoise Hotel, Kairo
2013“Belt“, Agial Gallery, Beirut
“Once upon a Butterfly“, Anima Gallery, Doha, Katar/Quatar
2011“The Sense of the Ending“, Rose Issa Projects, London
“Wo die Sonne niederbrennt“, Herrenhaus Libnow, Libnow, Germany
“Al-Burak II“, Die Kunstkammer im Georg-Kolbe-Museum, Berlin
2010“Al-Burak“, Maqam Gallery, Beirut
“Memories in Progress”, Michael Schultz Gallery, Seoul
“I saw it...”, Schultz contemporary, Berlin
2009“A heap of broken images”, Dome City Center, Beirut
2008“Still Life”, Wilde Gallery, Berlin
“Augenweiden”, Vattenfall Europe, Berlin
Gruppenausstellungen (Auswahl)/selected group exhibitions
2021„Cities under Quarantine - The Mailbox Project", Villa Romana, Florenz/Florence, Italien/Italy
„Changing Landscape", Karl Oskar Gallery, Berlin
„L‘ art blessé“, Debbane Palace Museum, Saida, Libanon/Lebanon
2020„L‘ art blessé“, Villa Audi Mosaic Museum, Beirut
“In weiter Ferne so nah" - AArtist in Residence Programm 2016-2020, Haus am Lützowplatz (HaL), Berlin
2019“Die haben einen Vogel - Die Vogelmänner von Istanbul" 30 Jahre Galeristin, eine Jubiläumsausstellung von Christiane Bühling-Schultz, C&K Galerie, Berlin
2018„I come from the Mountains", Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zürich, Schweiz/Switzerland
„Kultur im Gepäck", Spektrale 8, Kulturkirche Luckau, Luckau, Germany
„Hommage à Marwan", Galerie Pankow, Berlin
2017„Wir nennen es Arbeit", Galleria Opere Scelte, Turin, Italien/Italy
„MALE/FEMALE", Till Richter Museum Schloss Buggenhagen International Contemporary Art, Buggenhagen, Germany
„Review", Till Richter Museum Schloss Buggenhagen International Contemporary Art, Buggenhagen, Germany
„100 chefs-d’œuvre de l’art moderne et contemporain arabe – La Collection Barjeel“, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris
„The Poetics of Absence“, 1x1 Gallery, Dubai
"Berlin-based", Till Richter Museum Schloss Buggenhagen International Contemporary Art, Buggenhagen, Germany
2016„salondergegenwart", Hamburg, Germany
„Marvellous Creatures: Animals in Islamic Art“, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, Kanada/Canada“
„Home Ground“, Contemporary Art from Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate/United Arab Emirates
„Die Schwärze der Nacht“, Köppe contemporary, Berlin
2015„Home Ground“, Contemporary Art from Barjeel Art Foundation, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, Kanada/Canada“
„Hidden Treasures“ - I AMsterdam you BErlin, Sankt-Johannes-Evangelist-Kirche, Berlin
2014“Druckgrafik “, Kunstraum Heiddorf, Neu Kaliß, Germany
“Thin Skin“, Taymour Grahne Gallery, New York
“Nofretete-tête-à-tête, SMÄK, Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, München, Germany
“Unsere Tiere“, Tieranatomisches Theater, Berlin
“What remains II“, Rose Issa Projects", London
2013“Teas with Nefertiti: the making of an artwork by artist, the museum and the public“, IVAM, Valencia, Spanien/Spain
“The seven valleys“, Rose Issa Projects, London
“Journeys through our heritage-Revisiting lebanese modern artists“, BEC, Beirut
“Le théorème de Néfertiti“, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris
“L’insondable surface“, CCF, Beirut
2012“Teas with Nefertiti“, Mathaf-Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Katar/Quatar
“Art is the answer!“, Boghossian Foundation, Brüssel/Brussels
Salonlöwen im Kleinformat“, CundKunterwegs, zu Gast im Luftraum, Berlin
2011„Museumsbauhütte II”, werkbundarchiv – museum der dinge, Berlin
“Caravan“, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate/United Arab Emirates
“Rebirth “, Beirut Exhibition Center (BEC), Beirut
“Art Chicago”, Wilde Gallery, Chicago
2010“Slick10”, Wilde Gallery, Paris
“Scope”, Wilde Gallery, New York
“Still lives-Still alive”, Rafia Gallery, Damaskus
2009Inventory # 2”, WILDE Gallery, Berlin
“Heldenhaft”, Auto-i-DAT AG. Zürich
“Und dann und wann ein weißer Elefant”, Kunst und Zoologie, Kunstverein Schwimmhalle Schloss Plön, Germany
“Scope Basel”, Wilde Gallery, Basel
“high in the Sky”, UdK, Berlin
“Querschläge”, Klasse Burkhard Held, Schloss Oberhausen, Germany
„Out of Place”, Künstler aus dem Libanon in der Diaspora. Galerie Nord, Berlin
“Zimmer mit Aussicht”, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
2008“Red Dot”, Wilde Gallery, New York
“Aus dem Kontext”, Masterarbeiten 07/08, Universität der Künste,
Berlin
“Showdown! Klasse Burkhard Held”, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
“Toronto International Art Fair”, Wilde Gallery, Toronto
“Museumsbauhütte”, Zwölf künstlerische Museen und Museumsentwürfe, werkbundarchiv – museum der dinge, Berlin
2007„Fremdgehen“, Klasse Held in Halle, Galerie im Volkspark, Halle, Germany
„Dialoggeneraci Berlin-Prag“, Galerie Diamant, Tschechien/Czech Republic
2006„Meisterschülerpreis Ausstellung“, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
„7ème triennale mondaile“, Chamlières, Frankreich/France
Sammlungen/Collections
Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate/United Arab Emirates
British Museum, London
Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris
Kunstsammlung Deutscher Bundestag, Berlin
Audi Bank Collection, Beirut
Saradar Collection, Beirut
Sursock Museum, Beirut
Collection Solidere Beirut sowie internationale Privatsammlungen and international private collections
Bibliografie/Bibliography (ausgewählt/selected)
2021In weiter Ferne so nah, hrsg./ed. Landesverband Berliner Galerien, Berlin
2019Die haben einen Vogel - Die Vogelmänner von Istanbul 30 Jahre Galeristin, eine Jubiläumsausstellung von Christiane Bühling-Schultz, hrsg./ed. Christiane Bühling-Schultz
2014Mohamad-Said Baalbaki, in: Nofretete-tête-à-tête, hrsg. von/ed. Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, München, S. 209-211
2013Mohamad-Said Baalbaki, in: Le théorème de Néfertiti, hrsg. von/ed. Institut du monde arabe, Paris, S. 168-171
„Once upon a butterfly“, hrsg. von/ed. Anima Gallery, Doha
2012Mohamad-Said Baalbaki, in: Augenweiden, Positionen zeitgenössischer Kunst, hrsg. von/ed. Vattenfall Europe AG (Holding) (Berlin), Heidelberg
2010Still Lives – Still Alive, hrsg. von/ed. Rafia Gallery, Damaskus
2009„A Heap of Broken Images…”, hrsg. von/ed. Solidere, Beirut
2006Baal. Meisterschülerpreisträger 2006, hrsg. von/ed. Universität der Künste Berlin