Born in Taif, Saudi Arabia 1945
Tabbaa studied sociology and anthropology, later earning an MFA in Sculpture from Kent State University, Ohio, in 1979. After four years in Madrid, where he took part in various local gallery exhibitions, he moved to Amman in 1984, exhibiting locally and participating in international group exhibitions, biennals and symposia. His most recent solo exhibition in 2009 and his two-person show in 2012 were held at Cuadro Gallery in Dubai.
Samer Tabbaa is an established sculptor, whose artistic career spans over thirty-five years, experiments with a broad range of materials, from marble, stone, wood and metal, to bitumen and graphite. He approaches each medium with respect, seeking, in his own words, the "elemental power" in each material by "establishing a dialogue whereby all options are open but only one is optimum." When asked in an interview what stimulates him as a sculptor, Tabbaa said: "It doesn't take much-like a sip of water in the desert."
Samer Tabbaa's work can be found in such public collections as Deutsche Bank in Geneva, Switzerland and Brown University, Rhode Island, USA. His artworks have been acquired by numerous private collectors in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Dubai and France. Tabbaa was commissioned to produce a major aqua sculpture for the City of Amman in 1986-87; sculptural reliefs for the King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1982-83; and three major sculptures for the Dhahran International Airport, Saudi Arabia, in 1992. Tabbaa lives and works in Amman.
