Artist's Statement
My paintings are my story woven with imagery and colour.
My work is autobiographical and digs deep into the essence of my history past and present. What thrills me is when my work weaves itself into the biography of others who connect with it.
Much of my work focuses on the human figure. I am interested in the emotive qualities of body gesture, colour and mark making.
My work is a quest to subvert the specific in search for the universal. I am constantly searching beyond mere appearance, attempting to connect the vulnerability, fragility and impermanence of the individual with a sense of common and shared humanity. My work-making process embraces both the familiar and the unexpected, and combines observation, memory and intuition. My aim is that each piece develops a visual presence that is independent of me, or my original artistic intentions, so that the viewer can continue the search that I have initiated.
I work primarily in oils but also make sculptures, and unique works on paper using monotype and other print media.
Biography
I was born in Beirut, Lebanon and I live in the United Kingdom.
I was trained as a biologist and for many years pursued a successful career as a medical scientist. In 2010, I decided to follow my passion for art and became a full-time artist.
Education
Masters of Fine Art (MFA) in Painting and Printmaking, New York Academy of Art (2013-2015)
Diploma in Drawing and Painting, Leith School of Art, Edinburgh (2010-2013)
Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Sydney
Bachelor of Science, The American University of Beirut
Exhibitions
Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
2022
‘Saturation Point’, Pontone Gallery, London, England
2021
‘In Reverentia’, a Two-Person show with Emma Rodgers, Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, England
2020
‘Traces Remain’, Pontone Gallery, London, England
2019
‘A Life More Human’, Union Gallery, Festival Exhibition, Edinburgh, Scotland
“Being Human - Observed, Remembered, Imagined”, a Two-person show with Joyce Gunn Cairns, Smithy Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
2017
“Markings”, Galerie Alice Mogabgab, Beirut, Lebanon
“This Life to Me”, Union Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
“Empreintes”, La Reine Blanche Scene des Arts et des Sciences, Paris, France
Group Exhibitions and Art Fairs
2022
‘Art Miami’, Friedrichs Pontone Gallery, Florida, USA
Gallery Launch, Friedrichs Pontone, New York, USA
The Royal West of England Academy, 169th Annual Exhibition, Bristol, England
‘Inspired’ - Contemporary artists inspired by the work in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland, Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, Scotland
‘Intersect Aspen’ Artfair, Friedrichs Pontone Gallery, Colorado, USA
Soft Launch Exhibition, Friedrichs Pontone Gallery, New York, USA
Pontone and Albermarle Group Show, Pontone Gallery, London, England
Printmaking, Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, Scotland
Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
2021
‘Art Miami’, Pontone Gallery, Florida, USA
The Biennial Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize Exhibition
Pontone Gallery, Opening Exhibition, London, England
Promenade 4, Tregony Gallery, Cornwall, England
‘Art on a Postcard’ Summer Auction, The Hepatitis C Trust, Dreweatts Auction House, England
Secret Postcard Exhibition, Royal West England Academy, Bristol, England
‘Scottish Exhibition - A 10th Anniversary Exhibition’, Stafford Gallery, London, England
Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
2020
‘Art Miami’, Pontone Gallery, USA
‘Masters of Paint’, Pontone Gallery, Augusta, Georgia, USA (A group exhibition with Matteo Massagrande, Iain Faulkner, J Louis, Chris Rivers and Christopher Thompson)
‘Only Human’, Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, Scotland. (A group exhibition with Jackie Anderson, Jennifer Anderson, Henry Jabbour, Angela Repping and Graeme Wilcox)
‘Nearly Full Circle’, Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, England
‘Shine’, Tregony Gallery, Cornwall, England
‘Open Drawer’. Tregony Gallery, Cornwall, England
‘The Figurative Art Fair’, Mall Galleries, London, England
‘As They Were and Will Be Again’ - ROSL At Home With The RBA, Royal Overseas League at Home, London, England
Postcard Exhibition, Royal West England Academy, Bristol, England
‘On Paper’, Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, England
Visual Art Scotland/Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland
Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, England
Scottish Exhibition, Stafford Gallery, London, England
Assemble 20:20, Tregony Gallery, at 54 The Gallery, Mayfair London, England
2019
The Royal West England Academy, 167th Annual Exhibition, Bristol
Fresh Paint, Cameron Contemporary Art, Hove, England
The Biennial Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize Exhibition, Piano Nobile Kings Place Gallery, London
Promenade 2, Tregony Gallery, Cornwall, England
Bright Land, Tregony Gallery, Cornwall, England
Affordable Art show, Smithy Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
Figurative, Fidra Fine Art, Gullane, Scotland
Lime Tree Gallery, Works on Paper, Long Melford, England
The Prince’s Trust ‘True Colours’ Art Auction, Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh, Scotland
Visual Art Scotland, Alight 2019. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland
Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London
Society of Scottish Artists, 121st Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland
2018
Fidra Fine Art, Christmas Exhibition, Gullane, Scotland
Smithy Gallery, Christmas Exhibition, Glasgow, Scotland
Edinburgh Art Fair, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Lime Tree Gallery, Scotland
Art on a Postcard, The Hepatitis C Trust, WeWork, Devonshire Square, London
The Royal West England Academy, 166th Annual Exhibition, Bristol
Lime Tree Gallery, 3 person exhibition with Vivienne Williams and Rose Strang, Bristol
London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts, CCA Galleries, London
The Prince’s Trust ‘True Colours’ Art Auction, Lyon and Turnbull, Edinburgh
Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries, London
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
2017
‘Form in Art – Art of Form’ Isaac Newton Institute, Cambridge University.
Union Gallery, Christmas Exhibition, Edinburgh
London Original Print Fair, CCA Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Lime Tree Gallery, Paper Trail Exhibition, Bristol
Work on Paper Art Fair, Lime Tree Gallery, Royal Geographical Society, London
Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries, London
2016
Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, London, “Small is Beautiful” exhibition
Fly 2016, Visual Arts Scotland, The Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh
The Royal West England Academy, 164th Annual Exhibition, Bristol
Lime Tree Gallery, Summer Exhibition, Bristol
Converge 2016, Visual Arts Scotland, The Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh
Cannon Gallery of Art, Western Oregon University, Oregon (USA), Pushing the Edge
Mall Galleries, Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, London
Mall Galleries, Royal Society of British Artists, London
2015
Lime Tree Gallery, Christmas Exhibition, Long Melford, Suffolk
The Royal West England Academy, 163rd Annual Exhibition, Bristol
Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition, The Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh
New Work - New York, 1st Biennial Survey by all eleven New York City based MFA programmes, Williamsburg, New York
TriBeCa Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York
2014
Deck the Walls, Wilkinson Gallery, New York Academy of Art, New York
Collective Ground, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh
Awards and Recognition
The Scottish Arts Club Award, Society of Scottish Artists/Visual Arts Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (2020)
The Davison Award for Oil Painting, Royal Society of British Artists, London (2019)
The Winsor and Newton Painting Award, Royal Society of British Artists, London (2019)
The Schminke Award, The Pastel Society, London (2019)
The PaintBox Award, The Society of Scottish Artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland (2019)
Frank Herring Award, The Pastel Society, London (2018)
The Michael Harding Award, The Royal Society of British Artists, London (2017)
Artists and Illustrators Award, The Pastel Society, London (2016)
Eliza Clifford Prize for outstanding work by a mature student, Leith School of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland (2012)
Resident Artist at the Dingle - Ireland Summer Art Program, State University of New York (SUNY, 2016)
Elected Professional member of Visual Art Scotland (2016)
Media Coverage
A podcast with Bob Chaundy for Considering Art art reviews (accessed online and via Considering Art podcast on Spotify) - Bob is a BBC news journalist who has, for the past few years, been writing art reviews, covering painting, sculpture, photography and all manner of contemporary art and installations. https://consideringart.com/2021/05/03/considering-art-podcast-henry-jabbour-painter-and-sculptor/
Review of the Two person exhibition at The Smithy Gallery with Joyce Gunn Cairns ‘Being Human - Observed, Remembered, Imagined’ by Giles Sutherland in The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/joyce-gunn-cairns-and-henry-jabbour-review-portraits-of-lifes-fleeting-nature-jdrhvm9cp
Review of the solo exhibition at The Union Gallery ‘A Life More Human’ in The Scotsman by Duncan MacMillan https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/art-reviews-ken-dingwall-linda-lashford-henry-jabbour-victoria-crowe-alison-kinnaird-1-5002162
Critic’s Choice - Review of the solo exhibition at The Union Gallery ‘A Life More Human’ in The Herald by Jan Patience https://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/17843469.galleries-nick-cave-epic-show-will-feed-soul/
A Feature article about the solo exhibition at The Union Gallery ‘A Life More Human’ in The Scotsman by Susan Mansfield (August 8, 2019) https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-scotsman/20190808/281809990522275
Interview and feature article with Zoneone Arts in Australia https://zoneonearts.com.au/henry-jabbour-2/
Strokes that bind – review of the solo exhibition at The Union Gallery by Alan McIntosh http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/strokes-bind
https://stv.tv/news/features/1382178-scientist-who-quit-job-to-paint-lands-first-solo-art-exhibit/
http://www.artscotland.info/henry-jabbour-follows-his-passion-for-art/
Interview and feature article with Zoneone Arts in Australia http://zoneonearts.com.au/henry-jabbour/
Review of the solo show at Galerie Alice Mogabgab in L’Orient Le Jour (the leading French speaking newspaper in Lebanon) https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1033488/quand-le-portrait-nest-plus-visage.html
Review of the solo show at Galerie Alice Mogabgab in Annahar Newspaper (the leading Arabic speaking newspaper in Lebanon)
Winning Ways: Henry Jabbour by Steve Pill; Artists and Illustrators Magazine, June 2016, pp 22-25
Worton Hall Studios, CCA Galleries: promotional video of printmaking process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YwfLHVj__s