BIO
Rafig Abbas is an Azerbaijani artist currently living and working in Raleigh, North Carolina.
His work is a direct way of journaling past and present physical as well as emotional events. Using oil paint as the main medium in his work, he invites the viewer to engage with his world.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work explores the relationship between the internal and external. Tracing the physical and emotional imprints of both past and present experiences through oil painting. I invite the viewer into a personal visual space, offering a glimpse into the underlying currents of my life.
Through painting, I seek to create compositions that serve as visual records of thought, emotion, and perspective—expressions that extend beyond the limits of language.
PERSONAL STORY
Born in Sumqayit, in a small, coastal city in Azerbaijan, Rafig, later moved to the capital city of Baku. From his early ages he received training in classical piano and was interested in photography. When he graduated from high school he moved to The Netherlands where he attended Minerva Fine Art & Design Academy. During his studies he was actively involved in the ongoing Jazz & Visual Art scene in The Netherlands. After receiving his MA in Fine Art from the Willem De Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, he moved to The United States and started painting. His fascinations include works by Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Yves Klein, Piet Mondrian and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
CONTACT
Rafig Abbas's Studio is located in Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
Please send all inquiries directly to Rafig.
E-mail: hello@rafigabbas.com
Socials: @rafig.abbas