Born in Algeria in 1971, Adel Abdessemed began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Algiers. After the assassination of its director by Islamists, Abdessemed moved to France and continued to study in Lyon. Today he lives and works in Paris. In 2000 Abdessemed completed a residence at P.S.1 in New York, and his work is represented in prominent international collections including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Musée d’art moderne et contemporain in Geneva, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the François Pinault Foundation in Venice.