Fred Parhad

Fred Parhad is a self-taught sculptor who has dedicated his life to developing his artistic practice by taking inspiration from a variety of sources. He worked in foundries to refine his skills in the ancient practice of bronze cast sculpture, and, for inspiration, frequently visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He views history as one of his greatest instructors.

In 1978, Parhad started to create a considerable collection of classic Assyrian sculptures which can now be found in various locations across the United States. Inside the Ashurbanipal Library is a bronze cast bust of King Ashurbanipal created by Parhad. If anyone has ever traveled to San Francisco, California and visited the Civic Center they may have noticed a statue that bears some resemblance to the bust in our library. Standing proud outside the Civic Center is a full-bodied statue of Ashurbanipal, also created by Fred Parhad.