Abu Dhabi, UAE: Artbooth Gallery is pleased to present Reimagined, a solo exhibition by Palestinian-Syrian-Dutch artist Oussama Diab, on view at Artbooth Gallery, Abu Dhabi, from 17 September through 31 October 2026.

Reimagined marks a compelling new chapter in Diab's artistic practice, bringing together a remarkable series of reinterpretations of some of the most celebrated masterpieces in the history of Western art. Drawing inspiration from iconic works by artists including Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Michelangelo, and Anthony van Dyck, Diab revisits these historic compositions through his own distinctive visual language, shaped by displacement, resilience, and an unwavering belief in humanity.

Reflecting on the long journey behind the series, Diab says:

I started working on the Reimagined series in 2013 with the first work, “New Guernica”, a mural that marked the beginning of the series. It took me 13 years to complete this body of work, and I’m very happy to finally present it in Abu Dhabi.

(Oussama Diab)

Born in Damascus in 1977, Oussama Diab's artistic journey has been deeply intertwined with his personal experience of conflict, migration, and renewal. After graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Damascus University, he established his practice across Syria and Lebanon before seeking refuge in Europe in 2015, eventually settling in the Netherlands. Throughout his career, the artist has remained committed to exploring the human condition, reflecting on themes of suffering, loss, hope, and survival. Rather than documenting conflict directly, Diab seeks to reveal the enduring strength of the human spirit, emphasizing compassion and optimism amid adversity.

In Reimagined, Diab enters into an artistic dialogue with history. Rather than reproducing canonical masterpieces, he transforms them, allowing centuries old images to speak to contemporary realities. His expressive brushwork, dynamic compositions, and emotionally charged palette breathe new life into familiar subjects, creating works that are at once recognizable and profoundly original.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are two striking reinterpretations of Picasso's monumental “Guernica”, revisiting one of the twentieth century's most powerful anti-war paintings through Diab's own lived understanding of conflict and displacement. The exhibition also includes “La Coiffure” after Picasso, alongside reinterpretations of Anthony van Dyck's “Jupiter and Antiope”and “Moses and the Serpent”, as well as two evocative sunflower paintings inspired by Vincent van Gogh. Each work reflects Diab's ability to bridge historical narratives with contemporary experience, transforming celebrated masterpieces into deeply personal meditations on identity, memory, and resilience.

While rooted in art historical references, Reimagined is not an exercise in imitation. Instead, it invites viewers to reconsider the relevance of classical masterpieces in today's world. By filtering these iconic images through his own experiences and artistic vocabulary, Diab reveals how universal themes of love, suffering, migration, hope, and human connection continue to resonate across cultures and generations. The exhibition demonstrates that great works of art are never static; they evolve through reinterpretation, acquiring new meanings as they encounter different histories, perspectives, and lived realities.

Through this body of work, Oussama Diab creates a conversation across time, between past and present, tradition and innovation, collective memory and personal narrative. His paintings challenge viewers to see familiar masterpieces anew, revealing that the emotional power of art lies not only in its history but also in its capacity to be continuously reimagined.

With Reimagined, Artbooth Gallery continues its commitment to presenting artists whose practices engage critically with history, identity, and contemporary culture, fostering meaningful dialogue between Middle Eastern artistic voices and global art historical narratives.