The Bassam Freiha Art Foundation (BFAF) has organised Lines from Letters, a solo exhibition by Lebanese-Australian artist Tarek Elkassouf, renowned for pushing the limits of sculpture. On display in the BFAF Annex Gallery until 15 February 2025, the show offers an immersive journey into Elkassouf’s creative exploration of strength, vulnerability, and personal introspection. In addition to the gallery display, a series of his sculptures titled Boundaries is showcased in the BFAF Sculpture Garden.
Lines from Letters features a range of Elkassouf’s works, including intricate ink drawings, cutouts, and gilded art pieces. At the heart of the exhibition are his striking leporellos, which comprise layers of paper and gold. The showcased artworks complement the Boundaries sculptures, capturing the seamless transition from written concepts to visual geometries.
Through the pieces presented in Lines from Letters, Elkassouf examines the interplay between language and visual expression and prompts visitors to reflect on how storytelling and words shape their understanding of boundaries, visible and intangible.
The Boundaries series consists of 29 limestone sculptures adorned with 22k gold. These pieces invite contemplation of societal limitations, highlighting the delicate balance between restriction and liberation.
About the artist
Tarek Elkassouf (b. 1985, Beirut, Lebanon), an object designer and sculptor based in the UAE, graduated from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (Jounieh, Lebanon) with an MA in Architecture in 2010. In 2013, he obtained his Master of Urban Planning degree from ALBA (Beirut).
Elkassouf’s practice, which encompasses sculptures, collectable design objects, and art installations, often revolves around themes of balance, transformation, and the unseen. He understands the concept of the invisible through what is not there; the empty, and its exchange with the full. The artist’s work also explores the unspoken spaces between the words and the silence in music, which he considers as important as the notes.
Elkassouf has showcased his creations in various exhibitions, including Breakthrough at Abu Dhabi Art Fair 2023; The Future Is Near (solo) (Saleh Barakat Gallery, Beirut, 2023); and Lumières du Liban (Institute of Arab World (IMA), Paris, France, 2021), to name a few. In 2018, he was a resident artist at the Swatch Art Gallery (Shanghai, China).
Elkassouf’s accolades include the First Prize at Ateliers Internationaux APERAU (Beirut, 2012), the Second Prize at Ateliers Internationaux (Siberia, Russia, 2009), and an Honorable Mention from juries in Napoli (Italy, 2009). His work has been commissioned and acquired by esteemed international museums such as the Institute of the Arab World (France), Ithra (KSA), and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) (KSA).
To get more information about Lines from Letters, please go to the official web page of the exhibition.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing Tarabot: Weaving a Living Forum, a sustainable pavilion, and Formation III: The Dappled Light of the Sun, Conrad Shawcross’ sculpture, in Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park.
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