Born in Beirut in 1984, Abed Al Kadiri double majored in Arabic literature and fine arts. He also holds an MA in Painting from the Lebanese University.  His work focuses on the deprivation of freedom in society by analyzing contemporary issues of violence, cultural heritage, migration and belonging in his work.

 

In his contemporary practice through the series Al Maqama 2014, Al Kadiri’s  paintings paying homage to Yahya Al Wasiti (13th-century Arab artist). This soon became a project and a statement in which the destruction of Iraq’s historic monuments had a huge impact on him, particularly the destruction of the Mosul Museum in February 2015. Previously in his project started in 2014 Ashes to the Sea, Al Kadiri took the Mediterranean Sea as a focal point, he looks at the vast human tragedy in terms of its deceptive blue calm.

 

His solos include Abu Ghraib at The Faculty of Fine Arts, Beirut (2006); In the Corner at the Lebanese Artists Association, Beirut (2008); Identity Turbulences at FA Gallery, Kuwait (2011); Al Maqama Dar Al Funoon, Kuwait (2014); and Ashes to the Sea at Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut (2016) Arcadia Al Bareh Art Gallery, Bahrain (2016). Al Kadiri has also participated in several group exhibitions regionally and internationally such as Contemporary Istanbul 2011 ,Hungary Art Moments 2014Art Paris 2015, Basel Art Center 2016, Beirut Art Fair 2011, 2016 & 2017.

 

Al Kadiri focused on a stable career path beyond his painterly practices in Kuwait from 2006-2015, first as an art critic for 3 years then in 2010 he established FA Gallery in Kuwait. In early 2012 he was offered the position of Director at Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) Kuwait, the leading non-profit arts institution in the Middle East. There he curated numerous exhibitions, developed an extensive education program and contributed to a rise in attention and focus on the emerging Kuwaiti contemporary art scene and initiated the art exchange program making way for collaborations with significant Art spaces in Paris, Spain, Hungary, UK, South Korea, Lebanon, Cairo, and others in the Gulf region. In 2015 Al Kadiri left his position at CAP and since then he is residing in Beirut and working as a full time artist. Recently he was awarded the Sursock Museum’s Jury award at the 32nd Salon d’Autone.