Hussein BAYDOUN

Chargé de Cours - Vacataire

(+961) 1 421 000 ext hussein.baydoun@usj.edu.lb

Hussein Baydoun, a Lebanese artist, production designer scenographer based in Beirut, is renowned for his unique approach to production design. Baydoun consistently engages in the inception evolution of performances and films from their early stages recognizing scenography, imagery, reflections, and the narratives of spaces as integral facets of his creative process, each on par with the script itself. His designs draw deep inspiration from the essence and philosophy of the performance spaces in which he works, transcending conventional boundaries to craft captivating sets using whatever materials are at hand. With a resolute architectural perspective, Baydoun often employs raw, rugged materials like metal, concrete, and fiber, lending his work an industrial allure. From collaborating on the cinematic creations of Ghassan Salhab, Ziad Doueiri, Nadine Labaki, Mai Masri, and Anne-Marie Jacir, to partnering with visionaries such as Elia Suleiman, Hassan Khan, and Raed Yassin, Baydoun stands as a regional tour de force in the realm of set design. His footprint is evident in diverse plays, including those by Ahmed El Attar, Issam Bou Khaled, and Sawsan Bou Khaled. In 2019, he earned membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars), contributing his talents to acclaimed works like The Insult, directed by Ziad Doueiri, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018 as well as Nadine Labakis film "Capharnaüm" which received the Critics Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Baydoun's artistic prowess has garnered international acclaim, with his contributions acknowledged at prestigious events such as Cannes, the Oscars, Berlin Festspiele, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Theatrical Days of Carthage, Europa Festival in Lisbon, Das der Welt in Berlin, Avignon Festival, Autumn Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, and the World Theatre Festival Shizuoka in Japan.