Raouf Rifai

Born in Lebanon in 1954, Raouf Rifai lives and works in Beirut. He holds a Ph.D in Urban Planning from the Sorbonne- Paris I, and teaches art at the Lebanese University. Rifai has taken part in numerous Collective shows throughout Europe; the United States the Middle East and Japan.

In the early phase of his career (1982-1984), Raouf Rifai's work was preoccupied with the environment, nature and light. From 1985, tradition, especially folklore and folk characters, emerged as a recurring theme in his work. In 1995, he spent 3 years exploring, through his art, the history of his country, Lebanon, before coming back to an environmental theme from 1999 to 2007 Rifai introduced the Darwiche as the point of departure for his art in 2008.

Rifai's work is influenced by several artistic styles including Impressionism and Expressionism. Throughout Rifai's body of work, 3 themes are intertwined: pollution (physical and spiritual), social relationships and the relationship between the material and the spiritual. The backdrop to his art is the continuing instability and violence in the Middle East, a constant and faithful companion throughout the artist's life.