Tabari Artspace is delighted to announce its first show of 2020, the solo exhibit of seminal Lebanese sculptor Alfred Basbous. A visionary, Basbous played a pivotal role in the development of Modernism in the Middle East during the latter part of the twentieth century. The artist is celebrated for his pioneering approach that saw European influence translated into a new form of visual language that heavily echoes the sculptor’s native Lebanon.
The works on display express Basbous’s lifelong admiration for the human form, especially the female figure which he sought to articulate in its purest conception. Crafted from marble, stone, wood, bronze and metal the selection of works trace Basbous’s legacy that spans several decades from the 1960s until the 2000s. A selection of charcoal and preparatory drawings will add an additional element and background context to sculptural works.
Transforming Lebanon’s Visual Legacy - UNESCO Site
Basbous returned to Lebanon during the 1960s inspired by interactions with key names in post-war sculpture like Henry Moore and education at L'Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The artist’s plans were ambitious, he sought to transform Rachana, his native village, into an open-air museum where he would openly exhibit his work alongside offerings by other internationally respected sculptors for the public to interact with. The open-air museum remains an enriching area for the local community and has played a major role in stimulating tourism. In recognition of Basbous’s unparalleled contributions in 1997 the sculptor park was recognised as a UNESCO site.
About Alfred Basbous
Sculptor Alfred Basbous (1924 - 2006) was born in Rachana, Lebanon. His works express a lifelong exploration of the human form and its abstract properties. Throughout his life, Basbous won many awards including the Prix de l'Orient in Beirut in 1963 and the prize for the Alexandria Biennale in 1974. Upon his death, the President of the Lebanese Republic awarded him the Medal of the Lebanese Order of Merit in Gold. A national stamp of Alfred Basbous and his two brothers Michel and Youssef, also sculptors, was released in 2011 by the Lebanese State as a tribute to their contribution to Lebanese culture. The works of Alfred Basbous are part of the permanent collection of the Alfred Basbous Foundation in Rachana, Lebanon and are featured in many private and public collections, including the Musée Rodin, Paris, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan and the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum (MACAM) in Lebanon, among others. His monumental works are present in the public areas of Beirut including inside the Lebanese parliament and in many other Lebanese cities.
About The Alfred Basbous Foundation
The Alfred Basbous Foundation was established by Alfred Basbous in 2004 to foster an environment receptive to his work and bring modern arts to the attention of a growing public. The Foundation devotes all its resources to uphold the Basbous legacy at his home in Rachana and through exhibitions worldwide, grants to arts organisations, education, and research at the Alfred Basbous open air Museum. The foundation runs the estate of the artist and have the cultural property for the Bronze cast editions,The open air Museum and Garden, beautifully installed by Fadi Alfred Basbous in 2010 on the ground of its property in the heart of Rachana, houses the collection of the artist and hosts year-round exhibitions for the art lovers and glamorous crowd to celebrate Basbous inspiring creations.
