Painting, Sculpture

Memphis TN.

Besada Yakoub is a Coptic American sculptor and painter whose work is deeply rooted in history, culture, and material mastery. Born in 1972 in Akhmim, Egypt, he began sculpting at the age of seven, shaping animals from clay. By twelve, he was carving wood and working with metal, inspired by visits to ancient Egyptian tombs along the Nile. In 1999, Besada immigrated to the United States to advance his career. He briefly studied at the Art Students League of New York and joined the National Sculpture Society. In 2001, he became a master carver at the Johnson Atelier Stone Division, where he refined his skill in granite carving. That same year, he established his own studio in Mount Holly, New Jersey, with support from the Herk Van Tongeren Memorial Sculpture Award. In 2018, Besada introduced Obeliskism, a sculptural style that explores the geometric shapes of the obelisk in contemporary abstraction. Working in granite, basalt, limestone, marble, wood, metal, clay, and plaster, his pieces are collected across Egypt, Europe, and North America. Besada has received numerous accolades, including the Michelangelo International Prize (2023), a grant from the George and Helen Segal Foundation (2003), and recognition from the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (2013). He remains an active member of the National Sculpture Society and continues to push the boundaries of stone carving and abstraction.