Farid Haddad

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Farid Haddad is a distinguished Lebanese painter celebrated for his innovative approach to abstract art. His early fascination with painting led him to study under the renowned artist Omar Onsi in the early 1960s, before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the American University of Beirut, where he was mentored by artists Arthur Frick and John Carswell. He later pursued an MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1972, Haddad was awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to New York, where he deepened his engagement with the avant-garde art scene. His early works, initially influenced by colour-field painting, were lauded for their intellectual rigour and emotional depth, often drawing comparisons to the work of Jack Tworkov. By the mid-1970s, Haddad began teaching drawing and painting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, before moving to New England College, where he was twice awarded the State Council of the Arts Prize in the early 1980s. During this period, Haddad transitioned to a more experimental form of abstraction, marked by bold, vibrant colours and richly textured surfaces that invite tactile exploration. Over his illustrious career, he has mounted over 20 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 50 group exhibitions across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Currently Professor Emeritus at New England College, Haddad continues to create in his Concord, New Hampshire studio, where his work remains a testament to his enduring influence on contemporary abstraction.