Ginane Makki Bacho

B. 1947, Beirut

Ginane Makki Bacho holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Lebanese American University in Beirut (1982) and a Master of Fine Arts in printmaking and painting from Pratt Institute in New York (1987).

In her earlier artistic career, she focused on paintings, etchings, and book prints that revolved around her life as a Lebanese woman exiled from her country, exploring new perspectives in a foreign land. Overwhelmed by the changes, she turned inward to find something more authentic and related to herself in New York. Reflecting on her past and present, she had to decide her future path.

She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Lebanon, Kuwait, and Egypt. Her work is held in various public and private collections, including the Centre Culturel Francais in Beirut, the Museum of Digne les Bains, Cabo Frio Museum in Rio de Janeiro, the Arab League in Washington DC, the Hariri Foundation in Washington DC, and the Bibliotheca Alexandria in Alexandria.

About her Work

Bacho aspired to be a storyteller but felt that her writings lacked vibrancy, leading her to seek a marriage between words and images. The dynamic between artist and storyteller has been pivotal in defining her art. Her stories stem from personal experiences of war, violence, and hatred, having lived through the devastating events in Beirut. Grounded in a deep historical context, she strives to create contemporary works that embody a unique vision shaped by her personal concerns while reflecting the current era.

Much of her work evokes memories of Beirut's golden era. Since 1983, she has primarily focused on iron sculptures. She gained recognition for her series of cedar metal sculptures created from bomb shrapnel, a material that serves as a testament to the violence and wounds that have shaped her country. Iron captivates the artist due to its coldness, akin to death, yet it can be molded and shaped through the welding process to manifest one's personal vision. Symbolically playing with fire and physically working with heat to melt the solid material, she gives birth to art. The sparks produced during the welding process resemble flashes of thunder and lightning, reminding her of the chaotic explosions and bullets she survived.

Ginana Makki Bacho

Burj El Murr, 2014

Iron, 232 x 40 x 35 cm

Loan from the artist