Shaun Rabah is a multimedia artist exploring the themes of identity, emotion, and connection through diverse forms, from geometric abstract paintings to video art. His paintings traverse space and form with richly colored, textured motifs, while his videographic works focus on human micro-expressions—especially those of the mouth—as a language of emotion and connection.
His work has been exhibited in renowned galleries and is part of prestigious collections, including the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts and the Etihad Bank collection. Celebrated for his emotionally resonant and stylistically diverse palette, Shaun’s art has been featured in Home & Design magazine and other notable publications. His pieces have also been auctioned in support of institutions and humanitarian causes such as the Human Rights Foundation and the Edward Said Foundation—reflecting a practice rooted not only in aesthetics, but in social and cultural dialogue.
Born in Valletta, Malta, in 1981 to a Palestinian-Jordanian father and an American mother, Shaun began exhibiting his work in 2011. In 2016, he chose a radically nomadic path—selling all of his possessions to embark on a journey of personal and creative renewal. What began as travel transformed into a three-year odyssey across Europe, Morocco, and the Middle East, ultimately leading to extended creative residencies between Málaga, Spain, and Bucharest, Romania.
These experiences birthed two of his most recent collections: I and U. The I series reflects an inward spiritual journey—an abstract exploration of the self and the ego. Through intricate geometric compositions and implied portals, the works hint at doorways to deeper awareness. Spheres within the paintings symbolize facets of personal identity and the inner narratives we carry.
In contrast, the U collection turns outward, focusing on the micro-movements around the mouth—often called the window to the heart. Created over years of observing and recording facial expression, the series gained renewed urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic, when face masks obscured this subtle, emotional language. U invites the viewer into an empathetic space, exploring how we might still see and feel each other’s stories beneath the surface.
Bibliography
Jordan Times, Dec 21st, 2021, Virtual Art Exhibition Brings Together Jordanian Talents
Al Bawaba, July 22nd 2021 Discover What's Behind Facial Masks With Shaun Rabah
Artmejo, April 25th 2021, U: Documenting Digital Microexpressions Through Augmented Realities
Itchysilk, March 18th, 2021. The Mouth The Window To The Soul
The Arab Weekly, July 17th 2016, Forbidden Colors
Home & Design Magazine, Summer edition 2014
Washington Post, January 24th 2013, Life Style Section, Washington Gallery Listings
The Georgetowner, April 10th, 2013, Book Hill Art Gallery Walk,
Borderstan, September, 17th 2012, The Art of 17th St. Festival
Examiner, June 21st, 2012, Beat the Heat Artists Open House
Solo Exhibitions
2021 U, Pop Up Exhibition, Swefieh Village, Amman, Jordan
2019 Wahid, Taita Studio, Malaga, Spain
2015 Mending Minds, Jerusalem Fund Gallery, Washington, DC
2013 Color Causality, Susan Calloway Fine Arts, Washington, DC
2012 Open House Series, Century 21 Redwood Realty, Washington DC
Group Exhibitions
2022 Wadi Finan Art Gallery, U: Union, Amman, Jordan
2021 Arts & Politics, From Dreams to Reality, Virtual Art Exhibition
2021 ArtKeys Prize 03, Video Art Finalist, Agropoli, Italy
2021 DAR Art Fair, Amman, Jordan
2021 Amnesia Festival, Petrich, Bulgaria
2020 Art is Not Optional, Jerusalem Fund Gallery, Washington, DC
2016 Forbidden Colors, Jerusalem Fund Gallery, Washington, DC
2014 Intentional Baltimore Release Event, Area 405, Baltimore, MD
2012 You Can Buy Art!, Susan Calloway Fine Arts, Washington, DC
2012 17th St Preview, Century 21 Redwood Realty, Washington, DC
