Tarek Al-Ghoussein was born in Kuwait in 1962, where his family lived as Palestinian exiles. After his BFA from New York University and his MA from the University of New Mexico he worked as photographer in different countries, finally settling in the United Arab Emirates. He was professor at the American University Sharjah, School of Architecture and Design, and professor and Director of the Master of Fine Arts degree programme at New York University Abu Dhabi. On 11 June 2022 Tarek Al-Ghoussein suddenly passed away in New York city.
Al-Ghoussein exhibited extensively in Europe, the United States, and The Middle East. His solo shows include Odysseus, The Third Line Dubai, 2021 and warehouse 421 Abu Dhabi, 2019, Al Sawaber, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE (2017); K Files, CAP Kuwait, Kuwait (2017); K Files and Sawaber Series, Nevada Museum of Art, USA (2016); K Files, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE (2014); E Series, Kalfayan Galleries, Athens, Greece (2011); A Retrospective: Works from 2003-2010, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE (2010).
His work has been shown in group shows including Theatre of Operations, MoMA PS1, NY, USA (2019-2020); Negotiating The Future: 6th Asian Art Biennial, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung City, Taiwan (2017); The Creative Act: Performance, Process, Presence, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, UAE (2017); The 15th International Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art, Houston, USA (2014) ; Lost in Landscape, Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Italy (2014); Photoquai, Photography Biennial, Paris, France (2013); From Palestine with Hope, Art Space, London, UK (2013); Safar/Voyage, Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, Canada (2013) and The National Pavilion of Kuwait 55th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (2013).
Tarek’s works are collected by museums worldwide, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Freer Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian, Washington D.C.; Nevada Museum of Art; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; British Museum, London; the Royal Museum of Photography in Copenhagen; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo; the Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; the Sharjah Biennial Collection, UAE; the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, Barjeel Art Foundation and Art Jameel.