Nour HudA
Born in Beirut in 1995, Nour Huda is a Lebanese artist currently based in the UK. Huda’s love for art and creating blossomed from quite a young age, so it was only natural for Arts to be her chosen studies at Université Libanaise in Beirut where she earned a Bachelor’s and later a Master’s degrees in Fine Arts by 2017.
Huda's painterly works explore narrative-driven themes, reflecting the emotional landscape of the human experience. Through layered symbolism, textures, moody palettes, and evocative imagery, her paintings invite reflection on memory, transformation, and the quiet tension between reality and imagination.
Drawing inspiration from her cultural background, music, and literary works, the paintings insight a continuous dialogue between internal reflection and external influence, translating personal experiences and universal emotions into art form. Each work is intended to evoke feeling, provoke thought, and linger in the viewer’s memory.
Her recent work has been focused on personal themes from her life and upbringing in her home country, Lebanon. These personal narratives connect with broader reflections on identity, memory, conflict, and belonging.
"There was so much focus on impressionist and abstract work when I attended university. Some of teachers criticised my love for using figurative art to execute my concepts, saying it was ‘out’ and ‘restricting’. I was also criticised for the darker tone in my work: “your work is great by why is it so dark? Have you ever tried to paint flowers and happier things?” While I enjoy the occasional abstract painting and appreciate flowers, I was always certain of what I wanted to: I wanted to create something honest and true to who I am and what I’ve experienced, something I have never seen before where I come from. Some of my inspirations are Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Bouguereau (especially with how expressive the hands in his work are), and Zdzislaw Beksinski to name a few… Over the years I experimented with a variety of ways to execute my work, I enjoyed the aged and whethered look charcoal and pastel along with gold leaf on panel gave with the ‘Utopia’ series. More recently I have been exploring concepts using oils and mixed media.”
Huda's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications. It’s also found collectors across various countries, namely in the UK, US, Lebanon, and Qatar. Nour also appeared on season 10 of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2023 where her painting was the guest sitter’s choice.
