Nabil Anani, A Village, 1990, Leather and mixed media on wood, 82 x 67 cm
Courtesy of Gallery One

Gallery One is proposing to present a solo exhibition for Abed Abdi, a prominent Palestinian artist from Haifa. A selection of artworks including painting,drawing, prints dating from the 50s, 60s and 70s dealing with the theme of refugees will be shown.Abed Abdi was born in Palestine in 1942. At the age of six he became a refugee, wandering from one refugee camp to another between Lebanon and Syria. Three years later, he had the fortune of returning to his homeland as part of a family reunification program. His childhood experience remained with him and throughout his artistic practice he portrayed the hardships of the expulsion and displacement. In his youth, Abdi was an active member of the Communist Party, joining the Youth Alliance in Haifa where he learnt painting and sculpture. His participation opened up various opportunities, including his first exhibition in Tel Aviv and later admittance to the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden in the German Democratic Republic (1964-1972). While a student in Germany, Abdi’s early works were predominantly black and white graphic illustrations and etchings portraying themes on the uproot and displacement of Palestinians.Following his studies and return to Haifa, Abdi worked as an illustrator and designer for Arabic publications like Al Ittihad newspaper and Al Jadid literary journal to make a living, while continuing his art practice and participation in several local and international exhibitions. Abdi has been awarded several prizes for his contribution to the city, including the Herman Struck Best Art of the Year Prize twice (1973 & 1999), and the Young Artist Award at Berlin International Youth Festival (1973), amongst others.

Abdi continues to live and work in his studio in Haifa.Abed Abdi has exhibited in Qatar, Jordan, Germany, France, Hungary, Israel, Belgium and Bulgaria. He has participated in over 50 group exhibitions, amongthem the joint Palestinian-Israeli exhibition ‘It’s possible’ which toured the USA and Germany between 1988 and 1990. In 1995 he participated in the second exhibition for Palestinians and Israelis in Germany. His work appeared in the ‘Solidarity with the Palestinian People exhibit’ in Tokyo, Havana, Berlin, Moscow, Brussels, Belgrade and Athens. He also organized and participated in exhibitions with Israeli and Palestinian artists in Tel Aviv, Haifa and West Jerusalem in the period between 1980 and 1987 defending the freedom of expression and creativity.