Alfred Basbous: Figurative to Abstraction

We are delighted to announce our forthcoming exhibition in collaboration with The Alfred Basbous Foundation: Alfred Basbous, Figurative to Abstraction to be on view at Cromwell Place, London between October 11 to 17, 2021.

Alfred Basbous was born in 1924 in Rachana, Lebanon (close to the historic city of Byblos). He was a central figure in the development and advancement of Modernism in the Middle East during the latter part of the twentieth century. Basbous was the organiser of the first symposium in Lebanon and the region. From 1994 to 2004, international sculptors were invited to exhibit work, transforming Rachana, into an open-air museum. In recognition of Basbous’s unparalleled contributions, the sculpture park was recognised as a UNESCO site, in 1997. Basbous has a legacy rooted in cultural exchange with significant European sculptors from his tutor at École Nationale des Beaux-Arts of Paris, René Collamarini to his encounters with Henry Moore.

The exhibition, Figurative to Abstraction, reveals Basbous’ exploration of the relationship between form and material - from wood to metal - in addition to a preparatory drawing revealing his personal approach to sculpture.

The Alfred Basbous Foundation committee has selected works that demonstrate Basbous's artistic aesthetic, offering a glimpse into what will be shown in the Foundation in Lebanon in the future.