Mounira Al Solh

Mounira Al Solh (born 1978 in Beirut) is a Lebanese-Dutch artist and Professor of Performance, Installation and Media at Kunsthochschule Kassel. She maintains a dual artistic practice between Lebanon and the Netherlands, bringing a unique cross-cultural perspective to contemporary art. Al Solh gained international prominence through her contribution to the Lebanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2024 and participation in Artes Mundi 2023 in Cardiff. She is currently featured in her first major solo exhibition in the Netherlands, A Land as Big as Her Skin, at the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht (June 2025-January 2026).

Al Solh's artistic practice explores profound themes through vibrant, colorful works that balance melancholy with hope:

• Migrant experiences and refugee narratives
• Feminist reinterpretations of Middle Eastern mythology
• Cultural identity and post-war reconstruction
• The intersection of personal and collective trauma
• Hope and resilience as forms of resistance

Her work spans multiple mediums including painting, textile art, installation, and performance, often incorporating humor and wordplay as deliberate counterpoints to narratives of hatred and violence. Rather than presenting heavy or depressing content, Al Solh's work bursts with life-affirming energy that she views as both a right and political statement.

Her significant artistic output demonstrates a consistent focus on connecting ancient Middle Eastern stories to contemporary realities through a feminist lens. Works like Elissa's Room pay tribute to Phoenician heritage while addressing current issues of cultural identity. Her art refuses to be confined to categories, moving fluidly between personal and political, traditional and contemporary, Middle Eastern and European influences.

Al Solh's artistic achievements have been recognized through prestigious platforms:

• Lebanese Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024
• Artes Mundi 2023 in Cardiff
• Solo exhibition at Bonnefanten Museum (2025-2026)
• Ammodo Docs documentary featuring her work

As an educator at Kunsthochschule Kassel, Al Solh bridges her international artistic practice with academic instruction, influencing the next generation of artists while maintaining an active studio practice. Her work exemplifies how culture and stories transcend boundaries, offering connection and hope in times of conflict.