Manaf Halbouni’s artistic practice is informed by a participatory approach that spans a wide range of media and often incorporates ordinary objects and materials. In his widely acclaimed memorial piece Monument, Halbouni put three buses, upended, in front of Dresden’s Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady). The square in front of the Frauenkirche is symbolic, as the church was destroyed during the bombing of Dresden at the end of World War II. Halbouni’s installation not only alluded to the ravages of war but also created a symbol of hope for war-torn countries, which, like the city of Dresden, may one day rise again from the ashes. Halbouni also erected Monument in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin as part of the Third Berlin Autumn Salon in 2017. In addition to interventions in public space, Halbouni also creates more classic sculptural works.

Manaf Halbouni (1984, Damascus, Syria) lives and works in Dresden, Germany. Halbouni studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts Damascus and the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Dresden (Dresden Academy of Fine Arts) where he attended the master class of Prof. Eberhard Bosslet. Halbouni was awarded a.o. with the Marion Ermer Award 2016 from the Museum der Bildende Künste Leipzig and most recently participated in the Kulturakademie Tarabya residency programme (Istanbul, Turkey, 2019), Residenzpflicht.Berlin residency programme (Berlin, Germany, 2019) and FFO Artist in Residence Program (Foreign Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2018). Halbouni had numerous solo and group exhibitions: Bon Voyage, Das Reisen in der Kunst (Ludwig Forum Aachen, Germany, 2020); Margaritas im Herbst (Galerie Weise, Chemnitz, Germany, 2019); Havana Biennale (Havana, Cuba, 2019); They will not endure it (Rotor, Graz, Austria, 2018); Parallel Vienna (Vienna, Austria, 2018); Neuer Norden Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland, 2018); The Island is what the sea surrounds (European Capital of Culture 2018, Valetta, Malta), What If (Edinburgh Art Festival, 2017); Your Story (Kunsthalle Emden, Germany, 2017), The Restless Earth (Triennale de Milano, Italy, 2017); Installation Monument (Neumarkt, Dresden; Brandenburger Tor – Berlin Autumn Salon, Berlin, Germany, 2017); Nowhere is Home (Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig, 2016); Baustelle Europa (Kunsthaus Dresden, Germany, 2016); ASYLUM (Bielefelder Kunstverein, Bielefeld, Germany, 2016).