For Marwan Kassab-Bachi, better known as Marwan, the human face was a landscape of emotion and existential depth.
His haunting, contorted visages were his signature – a rippling representation of the disquiet of living abroad. This summer, the third annual Arab Art Exhibition at Christie’s will spotlight the late Syrian painter, presenting works that chart his remarkable career, from the figurative works of the 1960s, a few years after he moved to Germany, to the enigmatic Marionette series and his idiosyncratic facial terrains.
Marwan: Soul in Exile will take place between July 16 and August 22 at Christie’s global headquarters in London. It brings together close to 200 works loaned by several top institutions from the Arab world, Europe and the US.
“We wanted to highlight one of the most fascinating artists coming from the Arab world,” says Ridha Moumni, chairman of Christie’s Middle East and Africa. “Marwan’s work is in several major institutions in the Middle East, but he is also one of the most sought-after Arab artists in the West. His works are held by several prestigious institutions, including the Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and recently the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.”
This global recognition mirrors Marwan’s own life, which was marked by a constant dialogue between the Arab world and the West, deeply influencing his style and thematic concerns. While Marwan left his native Syria in 1957, travelling to Germany where he would live most of his life, he was inextricable from the Arab world. His works are often perceived as representations of life in exile, a yearning for wholeness as well as a devotion to a homeland rife with struggle.
“The idea is to really show the legacy of this artist who was living and working in Germany, but who was very important to the Arab world,” Moumni says. “His paintings describe the political situation of the Middle East, which touch upon his exile and life in Berlin. At the same time, he was able to display his work and voice to the region. He was an important mentor for a generation of artists, affecting their lives and their art. Among them are Said Baalbaki, Ayman Baalbaki and Serwan Baran, to name a few.”
Marwan sustained a steady artistic output until his death in 2016. He was the first artist from the Middle East to be accepted to the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg, graduating from its department of painting in 1963. He worked with a quiet determination for years after, despite measured success. His practice was unencumbered even during the time he worked in a fur factory in Berlin between 1962 and 1970, painting some of his most recognisable works during this period, including The Husband (1966).
“We will be exhibiting the earliest works of Marwan,” Moumni says. “We will follow his career, showing works from key periods of his career. We will show the works he produced when he arrived in Germany and became an abstract painter. We will show the shift in his work during the 1960s and 1970s, when he became recognised as one of the greatest figures from a new generation of figurative painters in Germany. We will also be presenting works that he created in the 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s, until his death.”
Highlights will include works from Face Landscape, showing how the series – most of which was rendered in monochrome or with a restrained use of colour – went on to inform his famous Heads portraits of faces contorting vividly across a wide palette of hues.
“We will also exhibit important still life, lithographs and works on paper that were inspired by the collaborations he did with writers from the Arab world,” adds Moumni.
Marwan: Soul in Exile is the third iteration of Christie’s annual exhibition of Arab art in London. The inaugural Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World was held in 2023.
The exhibition marked London’s largest presentation of Arab art. It was divided into two segments. The first, Kawkaba – Arabic for constellation – brought 100 artworks from the Barjeel Art Foundation's collection, including luminaries such as Mohamed Melehi, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Inji Efflatoun, Simone Fattal, Menhat Helmy, Samia Osseiran Joumblatt and Mona Saudi.
The second section of the exhibition, Emirati Art Reimagined: Hassan Sharif and the Contemporary Voices, highlights the contributions of one UAE artist who was pivotal in establishing the contemporary and conceptual art scene of the country and wider region.
Last year, Christie’s held a mid-career retrospective of Ahmed Mater’s work. Entitled Ahmed Mater: Chronicles, the exhibition featured more than 100 works including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, video and installation – giving a comprehensive overview of the diversity of the Saudi artist’s practice.
While the previous two exhibitions demanded a deft curatorial touch – particularly as they served as many Londoners’ first in-depth encounter with Arab art – that’s less the case with Marwan: Soul in Exile, Moumni says.
“Marwan’s works are extremely evocative,” Moumni adds. “They speak for themselves. They create a dialogue with the viewer that is strong. Simply seeing the work in person showcases the mastery of the artist. His art speaks to viewers no matter where they come from.
“Marwan remains one of the most fascinating artists of the 20th century,” Moumni adds. “He didn't get what he deserved during his life. This exhibition brings some of the most important works by Marwan in one place to give an opportunity for visitors to reconsider the career of an artist who struggled all his life to find his place in the West. He developed an artistic career in Europe but remained intellectually and emotionally connected to the Middle East. Marwan’s art represents an encounter of these two different cultures.”
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Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Naga
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South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
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The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
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1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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