Ghassan Ghazal

1961 – 2016, Beirut

Ghassan Ghazal lived in Canada for thirty years, having been forced to leave his country due to the turbulent years of the Lebanese Civil War. He was a versatile visual artist, working across various formats including painting, sculpture, installations, performance, and conceptual art.

Ghazal obtained a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Visual Arts from the University of Quebec in Montreal. Throughout his career, he participated in numerous solo shows, group exhibitions, art fairs, and auctions. His work was featured in notable venues such as the Museum of Quebec in Canada in 1995 and Gallerie Janine Rubeiz in Beirut in 2012 for his exhibition "(IN)tolerance." In addition to his artistic pursuits, he also taught Fine Arts at the Lebanese American University (LAU).

Ghazal was known for challenging norms and not simply creating aesthetically pleasing works for commercial purposes. His art aimed to question the status quo and challenge our conventional experiences.

About his Work

Ghassan Ghazal was particularly focused on transcending the representation of symbols of violence and coercion, and his multidisciplinary practice encompassed diverse research projects that merged image, space, and perception.

A consistent aspect of his work, whether in installations or performances, was to draw attention to certain everyday objects by assigning them a new identity. These objects no longer served their conventional purpose. Liberated from their rational nature and placed within a social context, they became symbolic and imaginary, distancing us from their original function.

Rooted in reality, Ghazal's works expressed a metaphorical language that addressed human behavior in social issues. He drew inspiration primarily from the lived history, and his performance pieces and works across different media explored the memory embedded in ordinary objects, as well as the significance of immigration, war, and the loss of identity.

Ghassan Ghazal

BARRE-TOI, 20--

Metal and wheels, 3 pcs

MACAM Collection, donation from the artist