Hassan Jouni

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Hassan Jouni is marked by his fascination with urban landscapes, Lebanese architecture, and the vibrancy of city life. Originally from the Southern Lebanese village of Roumin, Hassan Jouni was raised in a bustling Beirut neighbourhood, Zuqaq al-Blat. His early artistic inclinations and childhood sketches were profoundly shaped by a dramatic fall from his family’s rooftop, which later imbued his landscapes with a dreamlike aerial perspective. Educated at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, Jouni refined his craft at the Foster Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, where he later assumed a professorial role at the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Upon his return to Beirut in 1970, Jouni took on a significant role as a professor at the Lebanese University, eventually leading the drawing and painting department. His return marked a transformation in his practice, capturing Beirut’s golden age with a nostalgic yet critical lens. Jouni has exhibited works worldwide and has participated in a handful of biennales such as the ones in Sao Paulo, Alexandria, and Kuwait. Residing in his Manara atelier, which he established in 1980, Jouni continues to evoke a profound dialogue between past and present, rendering a Beirut both cherished and elusive.