Artist Biography
Manuella Guiragossian
Manuella Guiragossian, an Armenian-Lebanese artist born in Beirut, creates work that spans a wide range of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, animation, and video.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Fine Arts, Film, and Video with a specialization in Character Animation from the California Institute of the Arts in 2002. After living in Los Angeles until 2002, Manuella relocated to Dubai in 2003, where she lived and worked until 2010, before returning to Beirut to establish the Paul Guiragossian Foundation.
Growing up during the Lebanese Civil War, Manuella spent most of her time in the studio of her celebrated father, Paul Guiragossian, where she received her foundational artistic training. To shield her from the realities of war, her father immersed her in the world of art. Her vivid imagination served as an escape from the atrocities of the 15-year war, allowing her to develop a unique artistic language distinct from themes of violence.
Manuella reflects:
“I refuse to give more of my time to war by portraying it in my art. A child’s imagination and unconscious are so strong and honest that there’s no need to use symbolism to convey an idea. It’s pure, simple, and naturally beautiful. That’s why I constantly try to tap back into my childhood to recreate that world—a refuge from the ugly realities that surrounded us daily. I find peace there and aim to share it with the world.”
Currently based in Beirut, Manuella has participated in numerous group exhibitions and international art fairs, as well as solo exhibitions in cities such as Beirut, Paris, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Kuwait, Amsterdam, and Singapore.
