Tribute To Abdel Hamid Baalbaki

Curated by Karina El Helou

The museum honors the late Lebanese artist Abdel Hamid Baalbaki (1940–2013) in a moving tribute that celebrates his enduring connection to South Lebanon and the idea of home. Born in Odeisseh, Jabal Amel, Baalbaki drew lifelong inspiration from the land — its ochre earth, its people, and its memory — elements that became central to his artistic language.

After more than three decades in Beirut, he returned to his village, where he built a home and a library of over 2,000 rare books, both reflecting his deep commitment to culture and knowledge. Tragically, his house — once imagined as a cultural landmark — was destroyed in the 2024 war, echoing the broader loss of heritage across the South.

A painter, poet, and longtime professor at the Lebanese University, Baalbaki devoted his life to making art accessible to all. The exhibition revolves around two themes — home and the South — and features key works including his powerful mural War (1977), first shown in 1979.

Through this tribute, Baalbaki’s legacy lives on as a testament to identity, resistance, and belonging.