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 graduated with a Master’s degrees in Fine Arts in 2017.
Huda's painterly works explore narrative-driven themes, reflecting the emotional landscape of the human experience. Through layered textures, moody palettes, symbolism, and evocative imagery, her paintings invite reflection on memory, transformation, and the quiet tension between reality and imagination.
Drawing inspiration from her current social issues, 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.
"There was so much focus on impressionist and abstract work when I attended university. Some of my teachers even had strong opinions about how the human figure can be restricting in art. While I enjoy the occasional abstract painting and non-representational or stylised forms, I always felt like there is so much emotion and rawness the figure can convey. By the time I started working on my graduation project, I was 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 haven’t really 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 among so many more past and living artists. 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.”
Her recent work has been focused on personal themes from her life and experiences (be it living through wars, exploring her identity outside of a religious upbringing, and becoming a mother to name a few... These personal narratives connect with broader reflections on identity, memory, conflict, and belonging.
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.
