Jean-Marc Nahas

Born in Beirut, Jean-Marc Nahas is a contemporary Lebanese artist. He began drawing at an early age, displaying an innate talent and passion for visual storytelling. At 17, during the civil war in Lebanon, Nahas relocated to Paris, France, where he attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA). Returning to Beirut in the late 1980s, he began exhibiting his art both locally and internationally, gaining recognition for his evocative pieces.

The experiences of war and displacement became a central theme in his work. Nahas describes his art as a mirror of existence: “All my work is a scan of my existence on earth.” Deeply personal, yet universally resonant, his work explores themes of revolution, trauma and resilience, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. His art often reflects the scars of the Lebanese civil war, with recurring imagery of violence and survival, rendered in stark black and white. 

Rejecting the traditional constraints of a studio, Nahas prefers to draw wherever inspiration strikes, from cafés and public spaces to private corners. 

His approach to art is deeply rooted in minimalism, not in style but in substance, focusing only on essential elements to convey his vision. While he frequently uses black and white for its intensity, he also embraces colour.

Jean-Marc Nahas’ solo exhibitions include events at: Espace 9, Beirut (2024); Resilience, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2023); Beyrouth, à La Folie*, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2022); Espace Galerie d’Art, Beirut (2018); Ha’it Hawa, Beirut Exhibition Centre, Beirut (2013); Sultan Gallery, Kuwait City (2009); War Time, Peace Time, Rose Issa Projects, London (2009); Douces Violences, Espace Kettaneh Kunigk, Beirut (2008); and ‘Catastrophe’, Zico House, UMAM, Beirut (2006).

Nahas’ group exhibitions include: ‘Collective Echoes’, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2023); ‘Unwrapped’, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2022); ‘War, What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing... / Resistance’, Galerie Laroche/Joncas, Montreal (2022); ‘Touchpoint’, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2021); ‘Next In Line’, The LT Gallery, Beirut (2021); ‘Nine Shades of Black’, Galerie Tanit, Beirut (2014); ‘Subtitled: With Narratives from Lebanon’, Royal College of Art, London (2011); and ‘Reorientations: Contemporary Arab Representations’, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium (2008).

His work is included in the Macklowe collection, New York.