Anas Kahal

Anas Kahal (*1985 in Damascus, Syria) is a video artist who currently lives and works in Freiburg im Breisgau. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Damascus, he continued his studies at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe, where he earned his diploma and later became a master student.

Kahal’s artistic practice focuses primarily on video and media installations, often working with found footage—pre-existing image and video material from the internet or social media. He edits and transforms this material into layered visual spaces, frequently expanded through projections, multiple channels, and spatial installations.

Conceptually, the artist engages with themes such as war, displacement, migration, and the mediated perception of conflict. Many of his works relate to the Syrian war and reflect on the flood of images and videos circulated globally during the conflict. In doing so, Kahal examines how these images shape our perception of reality and influence emotions.

One example is the video installation Masked Faces (2024), in which he uses early YouTube videos of Syrian armed groups and presents heavily enlarged excerpts without sound. Through this reduction, attention shifts to body language and group dynamics among the participants.

For his work, Kahal has received several awards, including the 2025 Kalinowski Prize and, previously, the Art Prize of the Technology Region Karlsruhe. His works have been exhibited in Germany and internationally in both gallery and public spaces.