Where creativity, heritage, and vision converge in Beirut’s cultural heart.
In 2014, the Ministry of Culture (Lebanon) together with the Municipality of Beirut, in collaboration with the Lebanese Artists’ Association, presented the Visual Art Forum V and an exhibition dedicated to advancing Lebanon’s vibrant visual-arts scene. Beirut.com
The event was guided by a distinguished Jury Committee, composed of Cesar Nammour, Mohammad Rawwass, and Naim Doumet, ensuring the exhibition upheld the highest standards of curatorial excellence.
The forum honored celebrated artists, including:
Hassan Jouni, who exhibited two notable paintings:
- Ihyaa wa Ahyaa – Oil on canvas, 120 x 200 cm (2013)
- Crucifixion Triad – Oil on canvas, 205 x 158 cm (2013)
Mona Saudi (Arabic: منى السعودي; 1 October 1945 – 16 February 2022), the renowned Jordanian sculptor, publisher, and art activist, who presented two iconic works:
- Mother Earth – Jordanian marble, 45 × 40 × 17 cm (2010), part of the British Museum Collection
- Spiritual Geometry – Marble sculpture, 300 cm height (1987), displayed at I.M.A. (Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris)
Samir Abi Rached (Arabic: سمير ابي راشد; born 1947, Beirut), Lebanese painter known for integrating surrealism with Middle Eastern artistic sensibilities, whose works convey a dreamlike, symbolic, and often erotic unconscious world through meticulous “photographic” execution. He presented:
- Le Chemin du Ciel – Oil on canvas, 72 x 100 cm
- Si on Savait – Oil on canvas, 90 x 117 cm
Antoine Berberi (born 1944, Beirut), prominent award-winning Lebanese contemporary sculptor recognized for his monumental works across Lebanon and internationally, who presented:
- Statue Study: Tribute Wadih Al Safi – Direct Plast, 2013
- Monument Project, Macam Mar Semaan Al Amoudi – Direct Plast, 200 × 72 × 82 cm (2013)
Zena Ghossoub, who contributed with her work:
- The Cocoon Woman – Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 135 cm
In addition, the forum included participation from a wide array of regional and Lebanese artists, including Abdallah Akeel, Abdel Mawla Oueini, Adnan Haqqani, Ahlam Abbas, Ahmad Esseili, Aida Abou Jawdeh, Alberto Nehmeh, Ali Shams, Anas Lakkis, Atef Tohme, Caroline Saliba, Daad Abi Saab, David Kourani, Dima Radd, Elias Dib, Elie Hanna, Fatat Bahmad, Fouad Chehab, George Mattar, Layla Kanso, Rouwayda Rafei, Sanaa Makki, and others.
The forum showcased creativity, innovation, and the evolving voice of Lebanese and regional contemporary art. Participation in this landmark event represents an important chapter in Lebanon’s cultural history and situates Zena Ghossoub alongside some of the most celebrated and influential artists in the region.
