Nada Rizk
Follow ArtistNada Rizk: Lebanese-Finnish Artist and Designer
Nada Rizk is Lebanese-Finnish artist and designer who lives and works in Beirut. Known for combining craftsmanship with contemporary design, she works primarily with natural earthy materials, especially clay and stone, but is also constantly experimenting with others, including bronze and marble.
Rizk’s Academic Background: From Political Science to Visual Arts
Rizk initially studied Political Science and International Relations at the London School of Economics, graduating with a Master’s degree. Some years later, aligned with a relocation to Lebanon from Finland and the UK, she decided to focus instead on her passion for art and design, enrolling at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) and gaining a degree in Visual Arts.
Rizk’s Exploration of Ceramics: Training and Techniques
While working with different media, her specialty was ceramics, which she studied with the ceramist and teacher, the late Samir Muller. After graduating, Rizk also took part in several ceramic and sculpture workshops abroad. Today, she devotes herself to art and design full time.
Artistic Philosophy: Intuitive Creations Inspired by Nature and Myth
Rizk’s hand-built and hand-altered sculptures are rooted in the natural world and the eras of tales and legends, with storytelling at their heart. As the artist herself has explained: “My work is mostly intuitive; it would start with the seed of an idea based on a natural form, texture or myth to convey a personal narrative.”
Nada Rizk’s Influences: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Design
Rizk’s influences range from primitive art and ancient civilizations to nature’s wonders, encompassing both her Lebanese heritage and Finnish links. Organic and always evolving, Rizk’s work reaffirms her passion for exploring new ideas and experimenting with form, texture, colour and technique, including glazes, oxides, slips and engobes.
Exhibitions: Showcasing Work from Beirut to Helsinki
Rizk’s art has been exhibited widely in Lebanon and popular European art destinations, including: Art on 56th, Beirut; Carrousel du Louvre, Paris; Palazzo Priuli, Venice; and Laterna Magica, Helsinki. It is also found in several prestigious public and private collections.
In March 2024, Rizk’s work was spotlighted at the Arab Design Now exhibition, part of the inaugural edition of Design Doha, at the M7 in Qatar.
Rizk’s Contribution to International Art and Design Fairs and Exhibitions
Other events featuring her work include: Paris Design Week, Paris (2021); Beirut Art Fair, Beirut (2019); and House Of Today Biennale, Beirut (2018). In 2018, an installation of nine tall ceramic sculptures, titled ‘Cocoon’, was shown at the 33rd edition of the Salon d’Automne, Sursock Museum, Beirut.
Highlighted Works: The 'Neptune’s Cup' Series
Among her most high-profile work is Rizk’s ‘Neptune’s Cup’ series, a collection of hand-carved vessels that pays tribute to this fascinating ocean sponge (cliona patera), which, until recently, was thought to be extinct. Expanding on this theme, the series, created in colours that evoke the ocean sponge’s hues, symbolises hope and positivity.
- Paris Design Week - 2021 in / Paris / France
- Beirut Art Fair - 2019 in / Beirut / Lebanon
- Beirut Design Fair - 2019 in / Beirut / Lebanon
- House Of Today Biennale (in collaboration with Wallpaper store of Wallpaper magazine) - 2018 in / Beirut / Lebanon
- Sursock Museum 33rd Salon d'Automne - 2018 in / Beirut / Lebanon
