Lebanon Pavilion 2022

about the exhibition

After a five-year absence from the Biennale Arte, and for the second time in its history, the Lebanese Pavilion will be located in the Arsenale, one of the two main venues of the La Biennale di Venezia.

Through art, a means of expression, influence and change, the Lebanese Pavilion is a strong commitment to encourage Lebanese artists and a sign of determination to preserve Lebanon's artistic scene.

The participation of Lebanon at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia is under the patronage of the Lebanese Ministry of culture.

Lebanese Visual Art Association – LVAA is a non-profit association in charge of organizing the Lebanese pavilion.

artists

Two prominent lebanese artists represent Lebanon at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

Cineast and video artist Danielle Arbid (living and working in Paris) and visual artist Ayman Baalbaki (living and working in Beirut).

©Philippe Lebruman

Danielle Arbid

Danielle Arbid draws her inspiration from crossroads of cultures: that of Paris, where she lives and the eventful reality of Beirut, her hometown, East and West, past and present, to extract a piece of art that is both strong and impactful.

Ayman Baalbaki

Ayman Baalbaki’s work focuses on Lebanese and Middle Eastern issues.

His art creates an emotional impact and testifies to the incessant conflicts that afflict the Middle East.

Ayman Baalbaki was born in 1975 in Beirut, Lebanon, into a family of visual artists.

He lives and works in Beirut.

Ayman studied fine arts, painting and sculpture, at the Lebanese University (Beirut) before obtaining a Graduate Diploma in "Art-Space" at EnsAD (Paris) and a Diploma of Advanced Studies in “Arts Images and Contemporary Art” at the University of Paris VIII.

He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in Lebanon and internationally, in Belgium, Canada, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, United States, France, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, United Kingdom, Italy and Turkey.

Private and public collections:

Tate Modern

British Museum

London, United Kingdom

Elie Khouri Art Foundation

Farjam Collection

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Fondation Carmignac

Institut du Monde Arabe

Paris, France

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Doha, Qatar

KA Collection

Ramzi et Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation

Beirut, Lebanon

Danielle Arbid was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1970. A Lebanese-French filmmaker, videographer and artist, she lives and works in Paris, where she settled at the age of 17 after leaving her country to study literature and journalism.

Freelance writer for five years for the written press, she definitively stopped journalism in 1997 to make her first film. Since then, she alternates between fictions, documentaries in the first person and video essays.

Danielle Arbid also practices photography. Selected in numerous festivals in France and around the world (Cannes, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo ...), she won various prizes and several retrospectives have been devoted to her. Interested in different forms of narration, her works have been screened in several museums, notably the Mac / Vall - Musée d'art contemporain du Val de Marne (France) and the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA - Paris). She also collaborated with the 3rd stage of the Paris Opera. Her film "Le Feu au Cœur" was the subject of an exhibition at the Gaîeté Lyrique in Paris.

Danielle Arbid started in 2003, a series of videos entiteld “Conversation de Salon” for the MAK - Museum of Applied Arts in Austria. One of these video series is part of the collections of the Center Georges Pompidou - Musée National d'Art Moderne (Paris).

Main awards

- Prize of the Lumière Academy of the

Foreign press in France

- Golden Leopard video competition, Locarno

- Grant Villa Médicis Hors-les-murs

- Silver Leopard – Video, Locarno Festival

- Albert Londres Prize, audiovisual

- Best First Film Prize at Hot Docs Toronto

- Grand Prix of the Milan festival

- Reflet d´Or at the Cinéma-tout-screen

festival, Geneva.

- Bayard d´Or for best best script at the

Namur festival, Belgium

- Best Direction Award at Las Palmas Festival, Spain

- “New Voices, New Visions” Prize in

Palm Springs FF

©Thierry van Biesen

curator

Nada Ghandour

Commissioner & Curator

President of the Scientific Committee

Doctor in History of Art and expert in modern and contemporary art, Nada Ghandour is a heritage curator.

Nada Ghandour

Doctor in History of Art and expert in modern and contemporary art, Nada Ghandour is a heritage curator.

She holds four Masters:

- Museology (École du Louvre)

- History of Art (Sorbonne Paris IV)

- Preventive Conservation of Heritage (Paris 1)

- Digital Humanities (Sciences Po Paris)

She is an independent curator specializing in cultural management and digital technology. She has worked in some of the largest European and North American museums, notably the Museum of Fine Arts (Montreal), the Musée National Picasso-Paris (France) and the Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris). Thus, she has participated in large-scale exhibitions such as: Catherine the Great. An art for the Empire (2005-2006) Cuba: Art and History from 1868 to the present day (2008 Picasso! The Anniversary Exhibition (2015-2016) Icons of Modern Art. The Shtouchkine Collection (2016-2017)

artistic project

The Lebanese Pavilion presents the exhibition The World in the Image of Man, which illustrates the perpetual action of the human imagination on the reality of the world. Thus, more than ever, fiction inspires and nourishes our daily lives.

Nada Ghandour, curator of the Lebanese Pavilion, invites us on a symbolic journey into our contemporary world through a theme, a city, and two artists who maintain a political and aesthetic dialogue from a distance, by presenting artworks which are so far and yet so close.

The Pavilion’s scenography has been entrusted to the architect Aline Asmar d'Amman.

©Pascal Dangin

Aline Asmar d’Amman

Architect and Scenographer

Born in Beirut, Aline Asmar d'Amman is the architect, interior designer and founder behind Culture in Architecture...

Aline Asmar d’Amman

Born in Beirut, Aline Asmar d'Amman is the architect, interior designer and founder behind Culture in Architecture, a design studio based in Beirut and in Paris, committed to bridging cultures while balancing the past with the present.

The international firm has been at the helm of several iconic interior projects, including the re-opening of Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and the renovation of the Eiffel Tower's gastronomic restaurant Le Jules Verne.

The architect collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld on the Hôtel de Crillon's Les Grands Appartements and developed his collection of functional marble sculptures, Architectures, showcased at the Carpenters Workshop Gallery.

Recently, the Lebanese-born architect unveiled a collection of unique functional sculptures, The Memory of Stones, made by upcycling discarded fragments of marble.

Aline is currently overseeing the renovation of Palazzo Dona Giovannelli, one of the historical jewels of Venice, while pursuing cross disciplinary work ranging from interior architecture to art direction and scenography for private and public project around the world, with a contemporary approach focused on cultural conversations.

Web: cultureinarchitecture.com

Instagram: @alineasmardamman

about the pavilion

team

scientific committee

operational team

advisors

The Scientific Committee has an advisory role.

Made up of national and international specialists, its purpose is to provide recommendations and to create an environment for reflection, exchange and discussion with the artists and the architect-scenographer.

Nada Ghandour

Louma Salamé

Jean-Francois Charnier

Annabelle Ténèze

Commissioner & Curator

President of the Scientific Committee

General Curator of Heritage

Scientific Director AFALULA

Jean-François Charnier

Jean François Charnier is a national general heritage and art curator.

He graduated in Art History and Archaeology from the Ecole du Louvre and in Anthropology from Université Paris X-Nanterre. His first role was in the field of preventive archaeology and heritage coordination. He then became director in charge of the project of Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean (MUCEM). After a mission at the Ministry of Culture, he joined in 2008 Agence France-Muséums to coordinate the expertise of French national museums including the Louvre, Pompidou Centre, Orsay etc. for the creation of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

He was appointed Scientific Director of Agence France-Muséums in 2013: he created the contents of the museum and led the teams responsible for the museography, art acquisitions, programming and publications of the Louvre Abu Dhabi which opened in November 2017. He joined Afalula Agency in August 2018 as Scientific Director.

Louma Salamé

Born in 1981, Louma Salamé graduated from Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (Paris) and from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (Paris).

After working as a Research Officer at New York Guggenheim museum in 2007 and Luxembourg’s Mudam in 2009, she worked from 2009 to 2013 as Communication manager at Abu Dhabi’s Louvre Museum.

She then worked on a mission as Director of Communications and Audiences at the Mathaf from 2013-2014 (Doha) before moving to Paris’ Institut du Monde Arabe in 2015.

She has curated independent shows including: Chemins de Traverses (St Denis) in 2015 and Mental Map (Paris) in 2012. Since January 2016, she has been the General Director of the Boghossian Foundation - Villa Empain (Brussels) for which she conceived the exhibitions Frontières Imaginaires (2017), Melancholia (2018), Flamboyant (2019), and The Light House (2020-21).

Annabelle Ténèze

Annabelle Ténèze is Chief Curator of Heritage and Director of the Abattoirs, Musée - Frac Occitanie Toulouse.

She was curator at the Musée national Picasso-Paris (2006-2012) and director of the Musée d'art contemporain de Rochechouart (2012-2016). Her research interests include what defines historical and current scenes, and the reasons for visibility and invisibility.

She has thus curated historical exhibitions as Medellin: a Colombian Story from the 1950s to the present, Picasso and the Exodus. A Spanish History of Art in Resistance and its regional counterpart I was born a foreigner.

She has also curated a number of monographs of remarkable artists that emerged in the 1960s, such as Jacqueline de Jong, Carolee Schneemann, and Peter Saul. For the 2017 Venice Biennale, Annabelle Ténèze participated in the French Pavilion jury and wrote for the catalogues of Laure Prouvost (French Pavilion) and Joël Andrianomearisoa (Madagascar Pavilion).

©Laetizia Bazzoni

©Boris Conte

Director of the Boghossian

Foundation - Villa Empain - Brussels

Chief Curator of Heritage

Director of the Abattoirs,

Musée - Frac Occitanie Toulouse

team

operational team

Nada Ghandour

Charles Simon Thomas

Cherine Soubra Assouad

Farida El Solh

Dina Bizri

Lara Nader Mouawad

Nadine Katabi

Philippe Assouad

President of the Scientific Committee

Commissioner & Curator

Legal and Fiscal

Head of Fundraising Lebanon

and Europe

Scenography Coordinator

Assistant Curator

Head of Fundraising USA

Graphic Designer and Editorial Manager

Head of Fundraising Gulf Region

Communication Coordinator

Webmaster

Dina Bizri

Dina Bizri is an independent curator living and working in New York City. She has exhibited works in various spaces in Beirut, Paris and New York, curated art auctions, as well as exhibitions of international scale.

She grew up and studied in Paris, where she graduated for the Institut d’Etudes Surpérieures des Arts.

Since she worked at leading institutions and galleries in New York City. Her aim is to create interdisciplinary art projects, ranging from publications, videos and art exhibitions.

Charles Simon Thomas

Charles Simon Thomas initially trained as a lawyer. He continued as in house lawyer at a real estate software company, moving on to financial markets software within 3V Finance, a subsidiary of the Viel Tradition group. He progressed towards finance and tax & legal recruitment consulting within Norman Parsons / Robert Half where he became partner. He later set up his own firm for legal and financial recruiting, starting in The Netherlands, then in France.

He cofounded LIFE France in 2009 where he was first President and then Treasurer until 2020. He is also cofounder of the IC Fondation (International College) France.

Lara Nader Mouawad

Lara Nader Mouawad is a visual artist, a painter and a freelance graphic designer. She lives in Dubai and has a diploma in Graphic Arts from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) in Beirut.

She starts her career as an Art Director in a multinational company before setting up on her own, working on cultural events and art projects.

She is the founder of "Lenabni", a sustainable platform whose mission is to support and promote the handicrafts of several Lebanese artisans and NGOs based in Lebanon.

Cherine Soubra Assouad

Cherine Soubra Assouad holds a Master degree in Marketing and Management from Beirut University College (BUC). She is the author of the children book: les aventures de Titolo

She held positions both in public and private sector organizations.

Starting off her career at the Daily Star as a manager of the advertising department before joining the Swiss Embassy in Beirut as a Press Officer, she is the Founder and CEO of Casareen France and Hazar (Paris).

She has been organizing several charity sales for the benefit of the underprivileged.

Nadine Katabi

Nadine graduated with a Masters in Communications and Marketing from ISCOM Paris in 2009.

She then joined BBDO Paris as an Account Executive for PepsiCo International where she helped develop and deploy 360 campaigns in over 60 countries.

In 2015, Nadine moved to Benin where she participated in the launch of Dolait yogurts as well as in the creation of the brand identity and positioning. She is responsible for the brand strategy, events and print communication.

Farida El Solh

Farida El Solh is a graduate of the Pratt Institute New York. Fervent admirer of contemporary art, sheis the founder of the WIP (work in progress) a contemporary art gallery in Beirut.

WIP is a contemporary art gallery that operates on the principle of Pop-up. Farida El Solh exhibits international artists whose work is distinguished by a playful side.

Philippe Assouad

Digital Project Manager and Consultant at PFRM.

He holds a Master in Management Consultancy and Research from the university of Paris.

Creator of the application The Student.

team

advisors

Dania Haffar Bazzy

Charbel Abou Charaf

Nicole Araygi

Consultant Media & Communication

Legal

Dania Haffar Bazzy

Dania Haffar Bazzy is the Founder and Managing Director of Visionbuz, a brand, marketing, and communications consultancy providing strategic advice and integrated solutions to organizations and individuals on building brands, creating competitive market positions, and developing differentiated marketing, and communication strategies across multiple business lines.

Dania is a seasoned professional with a 20-year track record working in and with global multi-national institutions, across multiple jurisdictions and business lines.

Charbel Abou Charaf

Charbel Abou Charaf is a partner at the international law firm White & Case. Having started his career with White & Case in New York, he is now based between London and the Middle East. Charbel specializes in mergers and acquisitions,

restructuring and financial markets, representing governments, sovereign wealth funds, large conglomerates and private clients in their operations around the world.

Charbel is also in charge of the firm's pro bono initiative for the MENA region, working with a large number of NGOs and individuals on many issues relating to human rights, microfinance, education, culture and the arts.

Nicole Araygi

Nicole Araygi is a lawyer working in the international law field. She graduated from Saint Joseph University in 2014 and has been a member of the Beirut Bar since 2015.

She is currently an associate at Araygi & Maalouly Law Firm and teaches a workshop in private international law at the Saint Joseph University. Before joining Araygi & Maalouly, Nicole worked in international law firms in Paris and is still regularly collaborating with these international firms.

Nicole’s areas of expertise include international arbitration, private international law, commercial law and litigation before Lebanese courts.