Ramzi Ghotbaldin, Paris, France. Born into a family of photographers in Khanakine, Kurdistan, Ramzi Ghotbaldin grew up participating in the activities of his father's and grandfather's studios. The world of photography influenced his first artistic endeavors and naturally inclined him towards a career in fine art. His formal fine arts education formed him technically and he was most influenced by engraving. However, the core of his artistic personality has been formed by his culture and transmitted to him essentially by his national identity. He is Kurdish. His history is strong and painfully gained across an exquisite natural landscape -- one which demands a struggle for liberty and which eventually pushed him into exile. This personal history creates his unique artistic view and the richness of his memory continually feeds his work. Ramzi Ghotbaldin, who arrived in France more than ten years ago, has found his mature style in his Paris studio. His work expresses a synthesis between the marks left by his unique cultural history and the fruits of this new environment