Sculptor, Alfred Basbous, was born in 1924 in Rachana, Lebanon. Basbous was a central figure in the development and advancement of modernism in the Middle East during the latter part of the twentieth century. With innate talent and rigorous artistic training, he was the recipient of a scholarship from the French government in 1960 and was a student of renowned. French sculptor René Collamarini at the National Fine Arts School in Paris (L'Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Paris).

Basbous’ aesthetic philosophy is grounded in the simplicity of form – shape, movement and line. Abstracted figures handled much in the same way Constantin Brancusi, Henry Moore and Jean Arp, celebrate the human form – in particular, the female body. Sensual and strong, his pieces are truly timeless. Basbous explored the material potential of bronze, wood and marble to express his artistic vision.
A woman, according to Basbous, was not a platform upon which ideas or feelings were to be presented or expressed. She was the sole theme of art and for him, became his only theme. His sentiments are echoed in Marino Marini’s words: “It is only through the human form that I can express myself freely”. Basbous’ ultimate desire was not to liberate sculpture from stone, or vice versa – but rather, it was a more cerebral and spiritual urge to liberate the body from itself.
In 2017, Sotheby’s held its first exhibition of Middle Eastern artists in Hong Kong, featuring only two artists one of which was Alfred Basbous. Most recently an exhibition of the artist’s work was held from the 11-17th of October 2021 in London, curated by Pascal Odille on the theme of the diversity of Basbous’ artistic practices.

Significantly, Basbous participated in the "Atelier de Collamarini" exhibition in 1974 at Musée Rodin. He has also exhibited extensively across the MENA region and beyond, particularly in France, England, the USA and Japan. Notably, Basbous also pioneered the International Symposium of Sculpture in Rachana, Lebanon which took place between 1994 and 2004. 

Basbous’ work is included in several international public and private collections including the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan, the Musée Rodin in Paris, as well as Villa Audi, Sursock Museum and the Parliament in Lebanon.

The Alfred Basbous Foundation is currently working on the publication of a Monograph and Catalogue Raisonné of the sculptural work of Alfred Basbous. Please contact info@alfredbasbous.com for further information.