Imagine James Coburn cool in sunglasses, Steve McQueen slick behind the wheel, and Daniel Craig rising from the sea in that iconic scene, combined with the charm of the boy next door. Now, forget all of them. Let us introduce you to the incredible, international, and celebrated Mustafa Sabbagh.

It would be hard to find a pedigree of apprenticeship and craftsmanship as prestigious as his in today’s fast-paced world. This is a man whose work—where light arranges itself around the subject as if commanded by secret words gleaned under the tutelage of old masters—demands your attention. His clean lines, both in his persona and his art, are nothing short of mesmerizing.

Mustafa Sabbagh may have been born in Jordan, but he is Italian in essence, having lived in Italy since 1979. With a degree in architecture and two years as Richard Avedon’s assistant in London, Sabbagh’s credentials read like a masterclass in artistry. His impressive collaborations include Central Saint Martins College of Art and renowned magazines like Arena, The Face, Vogue Italia, L’UOMO Vogue, and more. Since 2004, he has participated in various editorial and exhibition projects, with highlights such as the Like-Us traveling exhibition during Bologna Arte Fiera and the upcoming La Belle et La Bête exhibition in New York and London.

But his résumé is only part of the story. Beyond the chiseled looks, deep voice, and impressive credentials lies an artist who lives and breathes his work. His passion for texture and form is visceral, and his assertion that he struggles to have specific certainties is surprising in light of the undeniable precision and beauty in his creations. As he puts it, “it’s becoming a form of slavery.”

His intensity draws you in, much like the light in his photographs bends to his command, and it’s difficult to resist. Mustafa Sabbagh isn’t just a photographer; he’s a force of nature, carrying his audience into the depths of his artistic mission.