Christie’s London will present its third annual summer exhibition this July, paying tribute to the life and work of Marwan Kassab-Bachi (1934–2016), the acclaimed Syrian-born artist widely known simply as Marwan. The non-selling retrospective, titled Marwan: A Soul in Exile, explores over six decades of the artist’s prolific career, tracing his evolution from early figurative works to his iconic “facial landscapes” and emotionally charged Marionette series.
Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East and Africa, the exhibition brings together more than 150 artworks created between 1953 and 2014. These include paintings, works on paper, and editions, many of which have never been shown together before. The pieces are on loan from major institutions and private collections across Europe and the Middle East, such as the Atassi Foundation (Dubai), Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), Berlinische Galerie (Berlin), Darat al Funun – The Khalid Shoman Collection (Amman), iSelf Collection (London), Pinault Collection (Paris), Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), and the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Marwan, who relocated to Germany in the late 1950s, developed a unique visual language rooted in the expressive power of the human face. His works, often layered with dense brushstrokes and deeply emotive surfaces, transcend traditional portraiture and explore the human soul through abstracted, landscape-like forms. His portraits, particularly those from his later career, are not simply depictions of individuals, but rather meditative studies on identity, memory, and exile.
The exhibition will be held at Christie’s London, located at 8 King Street, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6QT. It will be on view from July 16 to August 22, 2025, with varying opening hours throughout the exhibition period. On opening day, Wednesday, July 16, the gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Thursday, July 17, it will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Friday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the weekends of July 19–20 and July 26–27, the exhibition will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
From July 21 to August 1, the gallery will follow weekday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The space will be closed during the weekends of August 2–3, August 9–10, and August 16–17. Regular hours will resume on weekdays between August 4 and August 22.
For more information regarding the exhibition, visitors can contact Christie’s London at +44 (0) 20 7839 9060 or via email at info@christies.com.
This retrospective presents a rare opportunity for audiences to experience Marwan’s deeply introspective and spiritually resonant works in one comprehensive exhibition. It offers a powerful exploration of displacement, identity, and humanity through the lens of one of the most influential artists in modern and contemporary Arab art.
Sayart / Jason Yim yimjongho1969@gmail.com
Christie’s London will present its third annual summer exhibition this July, paying tribute to the life and work of Marwan Kassab-Bachi (1934–2016), the acclaimed Syrian-born artist widely known simply as Marwan. The non-selling retrospective, titled Marwan: A Soul in Exile, explores over six decades of the artist’s prolific career, tracing his evolution from early figurative works to his iconic “facial landscapes” and emotionally charged Marionette series.
Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman of Christie’s Middle East and Africa, the exhibition brings together more than 150 artworks created between 1953 and 2014. These include paintings, works on paper, and editions, many of which have never been shown together before. The pieces are on loan from major institutions and private collections across Europe and the Middle East, such as the Atassi Foundation (Dubai), Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), Berlinische Galerie (Berlin), Darat al Funun – The Khalid Shoman Collection (Amman), iSelf Collection (London), Pinault Collection (Paris), Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), and the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Marwan, who relocated to Germany in the late 1950s, developed a unique visual language rooted in the expressive power of the human face. His works, often layered with dense brushstrokes and deeply emotive surfaces, transcend traditional portraiture and explore the human soul through abstracted, landscape-like forms. His portraits, particularly those from his later career, are not simply depictions of individuals, but rather meditative studies on identity, memory, and exile.
The exhibition will be held at Christie’s London, located at 8 King Street, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6QT. It will be on view from July 16 to August 22, 2025, with varying opening hours throughout the exhibition period. On opening day, Wednesday, July 16, the gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Thursday, July 17, it will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Friday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the weekends of July 19–20 and July 26–27, the exhibition will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
From July 21 to August 1, the gallery will follow weekday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The space will be closed during the weekends of August 2–3, August 9–10, and August 16–17. Regular hours will resume on weekdays between August 4 and August 22.
For more information regarding the exhibition, visitors can contact Christie’s London at +44 (0) 20 7839 9060 or via email at info@christies.com.
This retrospective presents a rare opportunity for audiences to experience Marwan’s deeply introspective and spiritually resonant works in one comprehensive exhibition. It offers a powerful exploration of displacement, identity, and humanity through the lens of one of the most influential artists in modern and contemporary Arab art.
Sayart / Jason Yim yimjongho1969@gmail.com
