Born in 1973, Adel Abidin originates from Iraq. He has lived and worked in Helsinki since 2001. After studying at Baghdad’s Academy of Fine Art and afterwards in Helsinki, he has exhibited his work at some of the great international events and institutions. He notably represented Finland at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007 and will show his work in the Iraqi pavilion at the 54th event which takes place in 2011. In the last few years, he has directed projects in Finland at the KIASMA (Helsinki), in France at the MAC/VAL (Vitry-sur-Seine), and most recently in the United States in residence at Location One (New York), also for the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Doha in Qatar and even at the Sydney Biennale in Australia.