Abed Abdi was born on February 16, 1942, in the port city of Haifa, then part of British-ruled Palestine.
In 1948, as war broke out, six-year-old Abdi was forced into exile with his mother and siblings, seeking refuge first in Lebanon and later in the refugee camps of Syria. His father, Qasem Abdi, remained in Haifa during the hostilities. The family was finally reunited in 1952, returning to a transformed Haifa—now under Israeli rule—marking the beginning of Abdi’s lifelong engagement with memory, identity, and place.
Educated by well known artists in Israel and Germany, he is the first Palestinian in Israel who had pursued academic studies in fine arts.
“Abed Abdi the student”, drawing by Prof. Lea Grundig, 1967
Art and Painting Instruction, Lecturing on the History of the Arts
• 1975 -2000 Art and Painting instructor, Kfar Yasif, the local council’s community center.
• 1977 – 1996 Art and Painting instructor, Shfaram, the local council’s community center.
• 1977 – 1979 Art and Painting instructorg, Al-Makar, the local council’s community center.
• 1979 – 1981 Art and Painting instructor, Acre, Community Center.
• 1981-1985 Lecturer in Art and Painting, Terra-Santa Comprehensive School, Jaffa-Tel Aviv.
• 1990 – 1982 Art and Painting instructor, Dalit El Carmel Council’s Local Community Center
• 1983-1990 Art and Painting instructor, Ohel Sarah College.
• 1983-2004 Art and Painting instructor in the workshops of the Jewish-Arab Center for Culture Beit Hagefen, Haifa.
• 1985-2009 Lecturer in Art and History of the Arts, Arab College of Education In Israel, Haifa (until retirement).
• 1993-2018 Art and Painting instructor as part of a “National Cultural Basket” by the Ministry of Education in dozens of schools from the North to the Negev.
•1985-today Art and Painting instructor at the Weekly Painting and Sculpture Workshops for young gifted children from all denominations in the city, in the private studio in Haifa.
Solo Exhibitions
COMING UP: Retrospective exhibition (end of 2026).
2024 Between Two Worlds, Károlyi Palace, Fehérvárcsurgó, Hungary
2021 Balqis Art Gallery, Nazareth
2021 International Art Colony (virtual exhibition) “Challenging the Pandemic”
•2020 14th ART Dubai – Modern, Gallery One, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ( Was postponed to 2021 due to the Corona pandemic.) Curators: Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath.
• 2019 Exhibition “Memory Drawers”, “Livan” Gallery, Nazareth
• 2019 Exhibition as part of the “Tribute to Artist Abed Abdi” Conference, Haifa Culture Club.
• 2018 Exhibition “Memory Drawers”, Galilee Collaborative Gallery, Kibbutz Kabri. Curator: Avishalom Suleiman.
• 2018 “Visual Observation”, Mahmoud Darwish Cultural Center Gallery, Nazareth. Curator: Prof. Assad Azi.
• 2014 Exhibition “A Tribute to My Sister Lutfiya-2”, Peace Gallery, Givat Haviva. Curator: Dr.
Ayelet Zohar.
• 2013 Exhibition “A Tribute to My Sister Lutfiya”, Beit Hagefen Gallery, Haifa. Curator: Dr. Ayelet Zohar.
• 2011 “An Evening with artist Abdel Abdi and his works”, Arabelle Gallery, Haifa.
• 2010 The retrospective exhibition, “50 Years of Creation”, Umm al-Fahm Art Gallery. Curator: Dr. Tal Ben Zvi.
• 2008 “Land Day: The Story of a Monument in Sakhnin”, Musawawa Center, Haifa. Curator: Dr. Tal Ben Zvi
• 2008 “We Didn’t Forget “, Arabelle Gallery, Haifa. Curator: Dr. Tal Ben Zvi.
• 2008 Solo Exhibition in the city of Bad Freienwalde, Germany. Curaor: Elke Bremmer.
• 2007 Solo Exhibition at the Artist’s Association KUNSTVEREIN , SCHALLSTADT Germany.
•2006 “45 Years of Creation,” Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra Gallery.
• 2006 “45 Years of Creation”, City Gallery, Tamra.
• 2002 “Visual Dialogue” Exhibition, Israel Painters and Sculptors Association, Haifa
• 2001 Exhibition “The Hidden and Hanging”, Eshkol Pais Community Center, Kiryat Haim.
• 2000 “The Hidden and Hanging” Exhibition,
• 2000 Exhibition “The Hidden and the Hanging”, Steinberg Culture House, Municipality of Holon, Holon.
• 1999 Exhibition “The Hidden and Hanging”, Cultural Center “Khalil Sakakini” Ramallah.
• 1997 Exhibition “Looking for the Hidden”, Beit Gabriel, Plant.
• 1995 From Galilee to Jerusalem , “Al Wasti” Cultural Center, Jerusalem Curator: Sliman Mansour.
• 1996 “Khalil Sakakini” Ramallah. Curated by Dr. Adila Al Aidi.
• 1995 Beit Nagler Gallery, Kiryat Bialik.
• 1995 Artist House Gallery, Doha, Qatar.
• 1994 “Nagler House” gallery, Kiryat Haim.
• 1994 Beit Hagefen Gallery – The Jewish Arab Center, Haifa.
• 1991 “Beit Hagefen” Gallery – Jewish-Arab Center, Haifa.
• 1990 USA Cultural Center Gallery, USA Embassy, Tel Aviv.
• 1982 Workers’ Union Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria.
• 1982 Gallery of the Bouzart Museum, Brussels, Belgium.
• 1976 Exhibition of Drawings and Prints, Friendship Gallery, Nazareth. Curator: Azmi Bishara.
• 1975 Exhibition of Drawings and Prints, Evangelical Community Club, Shfaram.
• 1972 Exhibition of Drawings and Prints, Artists’ House Gallery, Painters and Sculptors Association in Israel, Haifa.
• 1972 Exhibition of Drawings and Prints, Beit Hagefen Gallery – The Jewish-Arab Center, Haifa.
• 1962 Fraternity Culture Club Gallery, Tel Aviv. Curator: C. Adam.
Group Exhibitions
1999 The Gateway, National Gallery of Art, Amman, Jordan.
2001 Group Exhibition of Haifa Municipality Prize Winners of the Herman Struck 1999, 2001, Haifa Municipality Hall, Haifa Municipality.
2011 “Identity,” Phelan Gallery D, Dusseldorf, Germany.
2012. The Wonderland exhibition “Wonderful Land – Wonderland,” by Arab and Jewish artists by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, which wandered in Israel, Germany and the European Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium.
• 1972-1982 Chief graphic designer in the daily newspaper Al-Etihad, Journal of Cultural Affairs “El Jadeed,” and the youth journal “El Ghad.”
Book Covers and Book Illustrations
• 1972- 2016 Illustrated book covers and sketches for many writers and poets, including Emil Habibi, Anton Shams, Mohammed Ali Taha, Salman Nator, Samih El Kassem, Felicia Langer, Moshe Brazilian, Joseph Algazi (Galilee) and others.
Logo Design
• 1979 High School Logo design, Orthodox Arab High School, Haifa.
• 1984 Local Council logo design, Reina Municipality.
• 1997 Local Council logo design, Yafia Municipality.
• 1988 logo design, the city of Um El Fahem Municipality.
Theater Decor Design
• 1969 Participation in relief works on the facade of the Palace of Culture building in the city of Dresden, Germany, under Supervision by Prof. Gerhard Bondzin, Kulturpalast Dresden (30 m. x 10.5 m.)
• 1971 Design and execution of “Spring water”, mural at the Academy of Art in the city of Dresden, Germany.
• 1977 Design and execution of the Land Day Monument , Sakhnin. Together with Israeli Artist and sculptor Gershon Knispel.
• 1982 Design and execution of a mosaic wall on the facade of the “House of Grace” church, Haifa.
• 1982 Design and execution of mosaic wall, Mr. Elias College, I’bllin. ( 2.5 m x 30m).
• 1984 Designing of the Gospel Church Square, Nazareth.
• 1985 Design and execution of the monument “70 years for the status of a city”, the Town Hall square, Shfaram.
• 1988 Municipal Logo Aluminum Relief at I’billin Municipality Building
• 1988 Relief Design on the facade of the Pais Center for Culture, J’deida village.
• 1991 Design and execution of the Mural At Dome of Al – Jazzar Mosque in Acre
• 1992 Design and execution of the tomb of late author Deeb Abdi, Haifa.
• 1993 Mural At Yafa an Nasera Local Council Building (2 m x 15 m)
• 1993 Design and execution of a Municipal Logo Aluminum Relief at Reine Municipality Building
• 1994 Design and execution of the tomb of late Evangelical community leader Tawfiq Assad, Haifa.
• 1997 Design and execution of the tomb late writer Emil Habibi, Haifa.
• 1996 Design and execution of Situation-Installation- Haifa
• 1997 Design and execution of the Al Burak installation, Haifa
• 1998 Design and execution of an environmental sculpture Homage to the city of Amman at the National Gallery, Amman, Jordan..
• 1998 Design and execution of the Souls Hovering in the Place mural in Haifa
• 1999 Design and execution of the Wadi of Copper and Light mural in Haifa
• 2000 Design and execution of the memorial monument, Kafer Kana
• 2000 Design and Execution of the Aluminum Cross at St. John’s Church in Haifa
• 2001 Design and execution of the Aluminum Relief at I’billin Municipality Library Building
• 2001 Design and execution of the Aluminum Relief at I’billin Junior School Gate (no.2)
• 2001 Design and execution of the “Knowledge” Aluminum Relief @ I’billin Junior High School (no.3)
• 2001 Design and execution of the memorial monument at Kfar Manda.
• 2003 Design and execution of environmental sculpture Bridges of Hope Fountain Monument at German School
• 2006 Design and execution of a relief project on the front of the school, “The Knight” @ Junior High School I’billin (no.1)
• 2006 Design and execution of fountain and sculpture “The Tree of Knowledge” (Aluminum and Ceramic Mosaic), High School, Zarazir village.
• 2006 Design and Execution of the mural “The Science in Pen” (Marble and Bronze), The Academic Arab College
For education, Haifa.
• 2007 Design and execution of environmental sculpture Aromas (Homage to Saliba Khamis) in Haifa
• 2007 Design and Execution of part of the The Pillar of Friendship @ Ironbridge (UK)
• 2010 Design and Execution of ceramic mural with Arab, Jewish, and Baháʼí Children in Haifa
• 2021 Design and execution of Memorial Monument at the Grave of Dr. Ramzi As’ad, Haifa
• 1977 Curator of the exhibition “Graphic Artists from Germany”, Friendship Gallery, Nazareth.
Speaker in conferences
•1994 Conference attended by French intellectuals and Arab and Jewish artists on “Understanding Between Religions”, organized by the Municipality of Paris, France.
• 2009 Conference on Reflections on East Germany, from the Department of German Culture at the University of Haifa.
• 2013 Conference on “Palestinian Art”, Beit Hagefen Jewish-Arab Center, Haifa.
• 2014 Haifa Story Festival, Family-Poetic Meeting on Refugee Experiences, Center
Musawa, Haifa.
• 2016 Cultural Art Conference by the Jordanian Writers Association, Amman, Jordan.
• 2017 The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Conference in Tel Aviv, on the image of the German artist Of Jewish origin Lea Grundig.
• 2019 Conference “Tribute to artist Abed Abdi” on behalf of Orthodox Culture Club, Haifa.
Since 1963 member of the “Painters and Sculptors Association”.
1978-1982 Member of the Board, Painters and Sculptors Association.
1982-1985 Member of the Audit Committee at the Painters and Sculptors Association.
1985-1990 Member of the Board. Painters and Sculptors Association.
1993-1997 Member of the “National Culture Basket” Council of the Ministry of Education.
1995-1999 Founder of Khalil Al-Sakakini Cultural Center, Ramallah.
1996-1999 Founder of Ibda’a Association for the Advancement of Art in the Arab Sector and First Chair.
2014 – 2019 Founder and Chairman of the Arabelle Association for the Advancement of Visual Art in Haifa.
2015-2019 Chairman of the El Midan Theater Council, Haifa.
Abed Abdi has been awarded the highest honorary prizes both by Israel and Palestine, and he is a honorary citizen of the city of Haifa since 2010.
• The British Museum in London, United Kingdom
.
• National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman, Jordan.
• D.A.F Museum, Beirut Lebanon, and Dr. Ramsey Dalall’s Collection in London, England.
• Amos Shoken Collection – Haaretz Newspaper.
• The Bank of Palestine Collection, Bethlehem, Palestine.
Barjeel Art Foundation / Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Archive of the Office of the President of the State, Budapest, Hungary.
• Budapest Bishop’s Office – Estergum, Hungary.
• Dresden Academy of Art, Germany.
• Dar Al Nimer Collection, Beers, Lebanon.
• Luciano Benton Collection, Rome, Italy.
• Kiyan Collection, Beirut, Lebanon.
• The Art Gallery, Umm al-Fahm.
• Hagar Gallery, Tel Aviv.
• Ministry of Culture Archive, Sofia, Bulgaria.
• The Israel Museum Archive.
• Princess Vijdan Ali Collection, Amma, Jordan.
• Archive of the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, Palestine
• Oldenburg Municipality, Germany.
• Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Győr, Hungary.
• Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Hajduböszörmény, Hungary.
• Palestine Museum USA.
•Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel
•Ann and Ari Rosenblatt Collection, USA
In 1962 my father held his first exhibition in Tel Aviv initiated by left-wing activists such as Gila Balas and her husband Shimon along with the poet Issam Al-Abassi and others. This event provided great cultural feedback as he was also elected to membership of the Artists Committee. He was twenty years old at the time and was the youngest and the first Arab artist to become a member of the committee.
Last update: November, 2022.