Dean Bardouka
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, of Syrian/Circassian and Hungarian descent; at the age of twenty I moved to northern California where I lived and worked for ten years mastering printmaking and graphic design. These skills culminated into an urban clothing line, which I designed, produced, and marketed in the U.S. and abroad for several years.

During my time in California I met and was trained by a traditional indigenous American artist as a gold and silver smith. He also introduced me to wood and stone carving, traditional beadwork, leather work and ceremonial pipe making. It was at this time that I began to notice the connection between the traditional handicrafts of the First Nations of North America to those of the Arab world. In a grander scope I began to explore the recurring threads of cultural similarity in the original cultures of the world.

Currently my work is centered on my own reconnection with Arab and Circassian (Adigha) cultures, languages and traditions, particularly as they relate to the present western attitudes toward Arabs and Muslims. I aim to shed light on our culture in a way that counteracts the narrow view currently being portrayed to the world. My art objects are crafted to show the richness and beauty of the Arab and Circassian people and cultures, and to revive a level of artisanship that is quickly being lost throughout the world.

Currently I live and work in Brooklyn, New York City.