Hania Farrell (b. 1965, Lebanon) lives and works in London (UK). She has an Associate degree in Applied Science from BUC (Beirut), and studied Interior Design at Pratt Institute (New York) and Charpentier (Paris).
She is a visual artist whose practice sets out to challenge and expand the medium of photography by creating immersive, multimedia environments.
Interested in exploring the innate relatability within humankind and, more widely, within the natural realm, her work seeks to highlight structural commonalities while questioning issues of identity, belief systems and cultural stereotypes.
Farrell constructs scenarios that, through physical experience, resonate with the deeper emotional level of being human, triggering a chain of reactions and transporting the audience to an uplifting status of innocence, prior to social or political conditioning, yet loaded with memory.
Recent solo shows include: 'Tree of Life', at Bellevue Medical Centre (Beirut, 2016/17), the digital exhibition 'Converse' (VertuLife app, 2016/17), Beirut Art Fair (2014 and 2015) and Singapore Art Fair (2014), as well as commissions for Beirut Art Week (Air France, 2014; VERTU, 2015) and TEAL, a major site-specific solo exhibition at a derelict Chelsea townhouse (London, 2013).
Recent group exhibitions include: EmpowerHer (CasildArt, London 2024); '70 The Exhibition' (ABC Gallery, Manchester, 2022); 'Roads For Life - "LIFE BOX"' (Galerie Tanit, Beirut, 2021); 'LIFE Beyond Exhibition' (Phillips, London, 2019); 'Stewart Law RCA Secret' (Royal College of Art Kensington, London, 2018); 'Oum El Nour - Fundraising Auction' (Mandaloun Club, 2018); 'Roads For Life -Art Saves Lives' (Le Yacht Club Beirut, 2018); 'Sunny Art Prize 2018 Exhibition' (Sunny Art Centre, London, 2018); 'The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017' (The National Portrait Gallery, London, 2017/18); 'The Mediterranean: A Sea of Conflicting Spiritualities' The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale (Mdina Cathedral Museum, Malta); 'The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016' (The National Portrait Gallery, London; Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens; The Beaney, Canterbury, 2016/17); 'STEWARTS LAW RCA SECRET 2017' (Royal College of Art, London); 'SOLO Award Finalists 2017 | Group Exhibition' (The Cello Factory, London); 'Dalieh Watch Days' (Glass Hall, Ministry of Tourism, Beirut); 'RPS International Images for Science' (Banbury Museum; City Arts Centre, Edinburgh; Royal Albert Hall, The Crystal, London; Cheltenham Science Festival; Haymer's College, Hull; Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester); 'Portrait Salon 2016' (Craft Central, London, 2016), 'ArtGemini Prize 2016 Exhibition' (Asia House, London, 2016), 'Nature Connections' (Derby University, 2016), 'Summer Salon' (Lubomirov/Angus-Hughes, London, 2016), 'Of the Sea' - Art in the Dockyard 2016 (The Historic Dockyard Chatham, 2016), 'Stewarts Law RCA Secret' (Dubai, London, 2016), 'Point & Shoot' (Cock'n Bull Gallery, London, 2013).
Farrell was awarded the Sunny Art Prize 2018 (3rd place), the ArtGemini Prize 2016 (first prize for Photography and Digital category) for 'Minecrafting', The Dockyard Prize (2016) for Helix (from the series: Helix). Additionally, she won the 'On the Street' Royal Photographic Society Monthly Competition (May 2016) and was a finalist of the SOLO Award 2017, RPS International Images for Science (2016), and the Saatchi Magazine ART&MUSIC's Point & Shoot competition (2013). She was longlisted for the Chaiya Art Award 2018, the Aesthetica Art Prize 2018, the John Ruskin Prize 2017; she was also shortlisted for participation in Athens Photo Festival 2017. Farrell was twice nominated to submit for Prix Pictet (2016: space, 2015: disorder). 'Minecrafting' received a Honourable Mention (2017, Prix de la Photographie Paris Px3), which was granted to the series 'Schoolgirls' (2011 - ongoing) as well. Her series 'Schoolgirls' had also received a Honourable Mention in 2016 from ipa International Photography Awards, and her work 'View from Beneath' was amongst the Top 10% lensculture entries in 2016.
She recently sat on the jury for the 2017 edition of PhotoX award.
Her work is represented in private collections across the UK, the US, Indonesia, Lebanon, UAE, Italy and Switzerland.
Farrell's practice has been discussed and published in several publications and catalogues by, amongst others, The Telegraph, The Guardian, RPS Journal, RPS Contemporary Group, BBC arabic, The Saatchi Gallery Magazine ART&MUSIC, ArtTribune, Aesthetica, Photomonitor, Deco Magazine, pample-mousse, Foci Magazine, Journal of Mediterranean Studies, The Daily Star, L'Orient LE JOUR.
2018
Sunny Art Prize 2018 (exhibition catalogue)
Future Now - 100 Contemporary Artists 2018, Aesthetica Art Prize 2017 anthology (book, Future Now 100 Contemporary Artists 2018)
Ann Clifford, Where is God in our 21st Century World?, published by Instant Apostle, April 2018 (book, Chaiya Art Awards 2018)
Norbert Bugeja, 'Mediterranean Fractures: Introduction'. Journal of Mediterranean Studies, 2017, Vol. 26, No 1: 1-6 (academic journal)
2017
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017, page 69 (exhibition catalogue)
Hettie Judah, Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017, review - suggests we're all in need of comfort, The Telegraph, 14 November 2017 (review)
The Mediterranean: A Sea of Conflicting Spiritualities 2017, The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale, pages 136-139 (exhibition catalogue)
L'Art du Portrait, Deco Magazine - issue 3, page 35
Patricia Ann Ruddle, The Waters of Lebanon - A conversation between Hania Farrell and Patricia Ann Ruddle (THE RPS ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Contemporary Group Journal, Contemporary Photography Special Edition, Number 67 / Spring 2017, pages 42-48)
2016
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016, page 57 (exhibition catalogue)
Portrait Salon 2016, page 46 (exhibition catalogue)
Art Gemini 2016 celebrates fine new painting, photography, sculpture, Eastern Art Report online, 25th September
Art Gemini Prize, London's Global Art Prize, 2016 Catalogue, page 32 (exhibition catalogue)
International Images for Science 2016, The RPS Royal Photographic Society, pages 58, 89 (exhibition catalogue)
Pample-Mousse, published on web platform on 13th July
The Journal, The Royal Photographic Society, July 2016 issue, Volume 156, Number 7
Decanted Design, published on web platform on 13th June
2015
Tanya Dernaika, "Whose life is it anyway?", THE DAILY STAR, 28th September
Edgar Davidian, "Pas de pain ? Regardez, il y a des brioches ...", L'ORIENT LE JOUR, 20th September
Zéna Zalzal, "Plonger dans les images de Hania Farrell et se laisser immerger...", L'ORIENT LE JOUR, 14th September
Nayla Rached, "L'Art Numérique au coeur de la 6° édition", L'HEBDO MAGAZINE, 19th June
2014
Chiara Cecutta, "Comè andata la Singapore Art Fair? Intervista con la fondatrice e il direttore", ARTRIBUNE, 7th December
Zéna Zalzal, "L'art contemporain libanais à l'honneur à Singapour", L'ORIENT LE JOUR, 5th December
Wissam El Sayegh, AFAQ, BBC Arabic, July
Elizabeth Cooper, "Hania Farrell Teal", ART & MUSIC - THE SAATCHI GALLERY MAGAZINE, no.25, Spring
2013
Emma Zacharia, "TEAL - Luminous photographs of modern Lebanon", HARPER'S BAZAAR, 6 December
Helen Butcher, "Event: Hania Farrell photography exhibition", BE EXPOSED, 1st December
Fionnagh Winston, "Hania Farrell - TEAL Review", PHOTOMONITOR, 28th November.
Tabish Khan, "Tabish's Top 5 Art Exhibitions to see in London this week", FAD - 13 Photographs Of Water", THE LONDONIST, 22nd November
India Stoughton, "Lebanon's youthful, resilient energy encapsulated in London show", THE DAILY STAR, 9-10 November
"Point & Shoot", ART & MUSIC - THE SAATCHI GALLERY MAGAZINE, no.22, Summer