Razan Sabbagh's work explores identity, socio-political issues, and questions oppressive power structures, such as investigating the political infrastructure of prisons. Sabbagh often collects oral narratives and stories or takes existing texts, interviews, and testimonies as a starting point for her work. Her minimal installations, videos, and performances often explore the relationship between art, activism, aesthetics, and power. She has participated in numerous global exhibitions, including at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Kampnagel, and Thalia Theater, Hamburg (DE), the Sharjah Art Museum (AE), the Goethe Institute, Paris (FR), and Casino Display in Luxembourg (LU).
Education
2023 Master for Arts, Hochschule für bildende Künste Saar, HBKSaar, Germany.
2011 Bachelor of Arts, Faculty of fine art, Damascus University, Syria.
Selected Exhibitions
2024 "I had a dream" – Artist Training Prize 2024, Konzertsaal der UDK, Berlin, DE
2024 Stipendium Junge Kunst, Lemgo, DE
2023 Internationales Frauen*Theater-Festival, ATELIER ORBIT2, Frankfurt, DE
2023 IN THE WAKE OF LOSS, Frappant, Hamburg, DE
2023 gegenSÄTZE, xpon-Galerie, Hamburg, DE
2023 "I Had a Dream", ludwigstr 60, Saarbrücke, DE *
2023 Beyond Home, Kunstraum Kreuzberg, Berlin, DE
2023 Opus Schaufenster, Saarbrücke, DE *
2023 Experimental Re(é)[flex|ct|ion] Expérimentale, Casino Display, LUX
2022 WERFEN, Hbksaar Gallerie, Saarbrücken, DE
2022 Malerei. Zeichnung. Grafik, Burgbentheim/ Schlossstraße, Bentheim, DE
2022 RENDEZ-VOUS, DFG, Saarbrücken, DE
2021 SUTURE, Goethe Institut, Paris, FR
2021 VON, BIS, AUS, Saarbrücken, DE
2021 RENDEZ-VOUS, DFG, Saarbrücken, DE
2021 GEHEN_BLEIBEN, HBK, by Prof. Eric Lanz and Prof. Mattias Winzen, DE
2021 VON WANN, BIS WANN?, Saarbrücken, DE
2020 STATE OF ART, Galerie Postel, Galerie Postel, DE
2020 ABSENCE, Berlin, DE
2019 IN BETWEEN, Galerie Postel, Hamburg, DE
2018 Where ART you from, Baku Gallery, Berlin, DE
2017 Fliegende Teppich, Cologne, DE
2017 Millerntorgallery #1, Maastricht, DE
2017 Im Ausland, Mom art space, Hamburg, DE
2017 250 Jahre HFBK, Hamburg, DE
2017 Meet the Syrian, Amsetrdam, NL
2016 Still Alive, Kampnagel, Hamburg, DE
2016 What am I doing here?, Kulturbunker Gallery, Cologne, DE
2014 Millerntorgallery #4, Hamburg, DE
2013 Contemporary Islamic Festival, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE
2010 Jameel Prize, National Museum, Damascus, SYR
2009 ECUME, Haddath Campus, Beirut, LBN
Selected Performances
2023 Bodies of Waves, performative sound walk, F.eks, Aalborg, DK *
2023 Counter-Conduct (Remembering, imagining, connecting, resisting), Casino Luxembourg, LUX *
2022 How do you look.., HBKsaar RUNDGANG, Saarbrücken, DE
2021 Tülüfülükülümülü #4, Thalia Theater, Hamburg, DE
2021 30X30, MK&G Museum, Hamburg, DE *
2021 FUTURADIO, Hamburg, DE
2021 Behind the walls, Von_Bis_, Saarbrücken, DE
2020 SMALL TALK, UDK Rundgang, Coculture, Berlin DE
2020 Space, Mauerpfeife, Saarbrücken, DE
2020 one min between 2 stations, Public space, Berlin, DE *
2019 Baynatna, Dead-Line, Berlin, DE
2019 ‘I’ performance, Bremen, DE
2018 Gefangene des Schneckenhauses, Thalia Theater, Hamburg, DE
2018 Entrance, Thalia Theater, Hamburg, DE
2018 FUTURADIO, MuT Theater, Hamburg, DE
2017 Ritual Circle, Kleiner Michel, Hamburg, DE
2017 What if, Fusion Festival, DE
2016 White hole, Mushabak nights, Berlin, DE
2016 Growing down, Knusthaus, Cologne, DE
2016 Still Alive, Kampnagel, Hamburg, DE
2016 Syria Are.., Ingensteds, Oslo, NOR
2016 Utopia, Hamburg University, Hamburg, DE *
2015 You first, Metropolis-Kino, Hamburg, DE
* Solo Exhibition/performance/event
Collections
Contemporary Islamic Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE
Prize
2024 Artist Training Prize 2024
Fellowships
23-25 Cross innovation hub, Kreativgesellschaft Hamburg
2024 Stipendium Junge Kunst (shortlisted)
24 LeadME | Deutschlandstiftung Integration
22-23 Deutschlandstipendium
22-23 Artistic research lab, display casino Luxembourg
21-22 Gopea Förderprogramm
Publications
2024 frame[less], Issue #6: (ohn)macht
2023 A moment of Rupture, A zine Beyond Home, Kunstraum Kreuzberg
2023 Experimental Re(é)[flex|ct|ion] Expérimentale, Casino Luxembourg
2022 Opus magazine
2022 Gopea 2021 - Junge Kunst Fördern
2021 Fotoculmagazine
2017 wir machen das
2016 Der Spiegel
2016 ABWAB
2016 Utopia, Millerntorgallery #4
2016 kulturschog
2014 Elephant magazine
2012 alyaum
Selected Participations
2023 Artist talk, In the wake of loss, Frappant, Hamburg
2022 Panel discussion, “Artists in exile” Musée National de la Résistance, Luxembourg
2022 Panel discussion, Cultural diversity in the performing arts, Fluctoplazma, Thalia Theater, Hamburg
2022 Panel discussion, "Can Art Change the World? - A conversation about human rights” , Abaton Cinema, Hamburg
2021 Panel discussion, “Is revolution female?, Kampnagel, Hamburg
2018 Artist talk with Veronika Schöne from Freunde der Kunsthalle, Galerie postel, Hamburg
2018 Artist talk with artists: Sarah Nabil and curator: Julia König, Baku Gallery, Berlin