Biography & Artist Résumé
Dankha
Zomaya
Born in Hasaka, Syria
Lives and works in Morton Grove, Illinois
A lifelong exploration of form
Born in Syria, Dankha Zomaya earned his degree in Fine Arts from Damascus University. Before moving to Chicago, he spent more than twenty years teaching at schools and colleges.
His work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions across Canada, the United States, Bulgaria, Sweden, and the Middle East. His practice spans sculpture and painting, with work in stone, wood, bronze, direct metal, and copper.
Zomaya’s work is held in private collections, the National Museum of Damascus (Modern Art Gallery of Damascus), the Syrian Department of Culture, and galleries internationally. His artistic research has drawn the interest of fine arts students and researchers within Syria and abroad.
Education
- 1982–1987
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Bachelor of Fine Arts, Department of Sculpture
Damascus University - 1997–1998
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Higher Studies Diploma in Fine Arts
Damascus University
Awards & Nominations
- Taha Taha Museum — Al Raqqa, Syria, 1999
- Montreal, Canada, 2002
- Nominated for the Arab Elite Award, 2006
- Hasaka, Syria, 2007
- Al Qamishly, Syria, 2007
- Houssien Al Baher Symposium — Tartus, Syria, 2008
- Artist of the Year — Assyrian American Chamber of Commerce, 2015
Solo Exhibitions
- Ebla Gallery for Fine Arts — Aleppo, Syria, 1990
- Cultural Center of Abu Rummana — Damascus, Syria, 1991
- Cultural Center — Hasaka, Syria, 1991 and 2001
- Traveling exhibition throughout Hasaka Province — Syria, 1993
- Aram Gallery for Fine Arts — Damascus, Syria, 1993, 1998, and 2004
- Al Khanjee Gallery of Fine Arts — Aleppo, Syria, 1999
- Damascus Gallery of Fine Arts — Damascus, Syria, 2000
- Cultural Center — Al Hasaka, Syria, 2001
- Aalbal Gallery — Damascus, Syria, 2001 and 2005
- The Art Project Gallery — Ontario, Canada, 2002
- The Arab Gathering for Painting and Plastic Arts Gallery — Montreal, Canada, 2002
- Traveling exhibition across several cities — Sweden, 2002
- UNESCO Building — Beirut, Lebanon, 2004
- Urmia, Iran, 2004
- Cultural Center — Al Hasaka, Syria, 2004
- Ishtar Gallery — Damascus, Syria, 2005
- Gallery of the Syriac Archbishopric — Hasaka, Syria, 2005
- Alpha Gallery of Fine Arts — Al Sweida, Syria, 2007
- Troyan, Bulgaria, 2007
- People’s Gallery, Union of Syrian Artists — Damascus, Syria, 2008
- Assyrian National Council of Illinois — Skokie, Illinois, US, 2010
- Assyrian American Association — Chicago, Illinois, US, 2012
- Chaldean Community Foundation — Detroit, Michigan, US, 2020–2021
- YV Art Museum — Massachusetts, US, 2024
Group Exhibitions
- Numerous group exhibitions sponsored by the Department of Culture and the Union of Syrian Plastic Artists
- With Basheer Al Ansari at Aram Gallery of Fine Arts — Damascus, Syria, 1992
- With Barsum Barsuma and Musa Malkeh at Aalbal Gallery — Damascus, Syria, 2000
- With Totol Gathering for Plastic Arts — Al Raqqa, Syria, 2005
- With Siham Mansur and Gheith Abdullah at the Russian Cultural Center — Damascus, Syria, 2007
- With other artists at the Skokie Art Library — US, 2011
- With Mimi Peterson and Catherine Cajandig at Emily Oaks Nature Center — US, 2012
- ACA Art Gallery — Cincinnati, Ohio, US, 2018
Symposiums, Seminars & Festivals
- Marmarita’s First and Second Art Festivals — Syria
- Sadad’s Third Festival — Syria, 2007
- Symposium of Sculpture and Ceramics — Troyan, Bulgaria, 2007
- Houssien Al Baher Symposium — Tartus, Syria, 2008
- Organized a painting exhibition featuring ten well-known Syrian artists at the Cultural Center of Al Hasaka — Syria, 2009
- Sculpture Symposium — Latakia, Syria, 2009
- Edge Water Festival — Chicago, Illinois, US, 2010
- SRAM Part Project, World Bicycle Relief — Las Vegas and Chicago, US, 2011
- Andres Institute of Art International Sculpture Symposium — Brookline, New Hampshire, US, 2022
- International Sculpture Symposium, YV Art Museum — Massachusetts, US, 2024
- International Sculpture Symposium, YV Art Museum — Massachusetts, US, 2025
- Andres Institute of Art International Sculpture Symposium — Brookline, New Hampshire, US, 2026
Analytical seminars on Zomaya’s artistic research and experimentation have been held in Hasaka, Damascus, and Al Sweida.