Mustafa Ali, Syria's foremost sculptor, was born in Lattakia in 1956. Known for elegant, monumental sculptures that pierce the consciousness and underscore the fragility of mankind, his artworks are widely collected in the Arab world for nearly three decades. After training in sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus, he continued his studies at the Fine Arts Academy in Carrara, Italy, graduating in 1996.

He has exhibited extensively on the international art circuit since 1979 and has participated in a number of high-profile events such as Lattakia Sculpture Biennial (where he was awarded the Golden Prize) (1997), the Biennial of Alexandria, Egypt (1994), the Sharjah Biennial (1995), and the International Symposium for Sculptors in Valencia, Spain (2001).

Ali's work is housed in private and public collections, including a number of official institutions in Syria such as the National Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Damascus, in addition to the Jordan National Gallery in Amman, the Sharjah Museum of Art and the Arab World Institute in Paris.

Many of his bronze and wood sculptures can also be found in public spaces, such as The Gate of Syria, which is on display in the Mediterranean Olympiad in Pari, Italy, and The Tower of Memory, which stands in the Damascus International Fairground.

Indispensible to the Syrian art scene for years, Ali is also the director of the renowned Damascus art center The Mustafa Ali Art Foundation, which presents exhibitions, workshops, lectures and cultural events throughout the year to local artists and the public. Through his work and his nonprofit, Ali has inspired and supported generations of Syrian artists.

Mustafa Ali (Latakia, Syria, 1956)

He creates evocative, monumental sculptures forged from metal, marble, and wood. Often alluding to stories from ancient Syrian mythology, his work is primarily figurative, capturing the natural beauty of the human form. Employing a labored process in which the rawness of wood is treated with a bronze-like finish, Ali accentuates the natural contours of his medium while creating a dramatic patina-like surface that lends a timeless appearance to his work.

Mustafa Ali lives and works in Damascus. He is the Director of the non-profit Mustafa Ali Art Foundation, which presents exhibitions, workshops, lectures and cultural events throughout the year to local Damascus artists and the public.

His work is housed in private and public collections throughout the world, including the National Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Damascus, the Jordan National Gallery in Amman, the Sharjah Museum of Art, and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.

Public art commissions include The Gate of Syria at the Mediterranean Olympiad in Pari, Italy, and The Tower of Memory at the Damascus International Fairground.

He has participated in international biennales including the International Symposium for Sculptors in Valencia, Spain (2001); the Latakia Sculpture Biennial (1997); the Sharjah Biennial (1995); and the Biennial of Alexandria, Egypt (1994).