Hanibal Srouji: A Pioneer of Burning Hole Technique Hanibal Srouji (born 1957 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese painter whose distinctive artistic approach—the incorporation of burning holes into his canvases—has cemented his place as one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary Middle Eastern art. His journey began with formative years marked by displacement during the tumultuous Lebanese Civil War, an experience that profoundly shaped his worldview and fueled his creative impulse. Witnessing firsthand the devastation wrought by conflict instilled a deep empathy for human suffering…