Hani Zurob is an influential contemporary Palestinian artist, currently working in Paris. He is known for his vivid paintings, which are often informed by the personal events that have shaped his life. His artworks present these events through a personal perspective and a conceptual context that reflects the broader circumstances of his upbringing. The works transcend borders and geography at the same time – a mission of art that remains close to the painter’s heart. The majority of his artworks are created using tar (zeft in Arabic), acrylic and mixed media. Zurob was born in Gaza’s Rafah Camp in 1976, and he later moved to Nablus where he received a BA in Fine Arts in 1994. With the aim of pursuing an artistic career, Zurob moved to Ramallah in 2001 until 2006, when he received a grant that allowed him to reside in Paris at the Cité Internationale des Arts. In 2002, he was selected to participate in the AM Qattan Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year Award. Zurob has gained notable recognition, internationally and at home, and has won several international awards and residencies, including Bourse et Prix Renoir in 2009. His work is found in several private and public collections internationally including in the Arab American National Museum (AANM), Dearborn, Michigan; WAH center (Williamsburg Art & Historical center), New York; Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA), Paris; Association Renoir, France; Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris; Mairie de Paris, Hôtél de Ville, Paris; Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah; Contemporary Art Platform (CAP), Kuwait; Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture, Beirut, Lebanon; A. M. Qattan Foundation, London-Ramallah; Birzeit University Museum, Birzeit, Palestine.
A monograph tracing the development of his work, “Between Exits: Paintings By Hani Zurob” by Kamal Boullata was published by Black Dog Publishing, London, November 2012. “Hani’s practice provides an important voice in contemporary Palestinian culture, as well as a significant contribution to the creation of an Arab aesthetic. Ultimately though, while Zurob’s art gives powerful expression to the Palestinian collective experience, it can also be seen in the context of more universal themes of personal identity and embraces humanity beyond the Palestinian context”. Black Dog Publishing, London 2012.
Zurob is still unable to return to his homeland, and currently lives in Paris, France.
