Soil of the South: Paintings and Writings from Jnoub Lebanon

Some places remain within us, even when we live far from them.

Soil of the South brings together the paintings of Ali Hadid and the writings of Hussein Joumaa in a shared reflection on Jnoub—South Lebanon. Across these pages, familiar landscapes, quiet village moments, memory, longing, and belonging meet through color and language.

Ali’s paintings invite each person to notice something different: the clouds above, the people below, the land surrounding them, or a small detail that awakens a memory of their own. Hussein’s writings emerge from the emotions and thoughts that become accessible when returning to Lebanon—feelings that are difficult to reach with the same ease anywhere else in the world.

Created across the distance between Lebanon and California, this book is not simply a collection of paintings and words. It is a conversation between two friends, two art forms, and the place that continues to live within them.

Soil of the South is a 24-page art book featuring 10 original paintings by Ali Hadid, accompanied by a thoughtful mixture of poetry and prose by Hussein Joumaa. Together, the paintings and writings explore memory, identity, belonging, and the enduring connection to South Lebanon.