Layal Khawly is an award-winning visual artist whose roots lie in the vibrant heart of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. From her earliest days, she carried a fascination for the unseen beauty of the world, her imagination brimming with stardust and quiet wonder. Even as a child, her gift for drawing and painting was recognized, her works already whispering stories that belonged both to her and to the collective dreams of those who beheld them. These early sparks of talent would grow into a lifelong devotion to art, where creativity became not only an expression of self but also a bridge to touch the hearts of others.
Pursuing her passion with an unwavering commitment, Layal studied Interior Architecture before earning a Master’s degree with distinction in Visual Arts from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) in 2014. For her, being an artist was never solely about creating beautiful works; it was about planting seeds of inspiration in others. Within her paintings, she concealed delicate yet resonant messages, invitations to look deeper, to see beyond the surface. Her journey soon crossed borders and oceans. In 2016, she was chosen to represent Lebanon at the National Museum of Art in Shanghai by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, a milestone that affirmed her ability to speak an international visual language without uttering a single word.
In 2017, her role expanded far beyond the studio walls. She was appointed as an Art Facilitator for UNESCO-Beirut’s project Shared World’s Heritage Values for Common Grounds, an initiative where art met humanity with open hands. In collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Education, she worked with refugees, using creativity as a bridge to connect their stories, their resilience, and their hopes. This transformative experience was followed by an exhibition at the World Bank’s Hall entrance in Washington, DC, and later by her participation in Expo Dubai 2020, where her canvases once again reached out to diverse audiences, carrying with them fragments of her homeland’s soul.
By 2021, her dedication to both art and community was recognized on a national scale. Lebanon appointed her as the main representative and NGO ambassador for Lebanon of Tomorrow, an organization devoted to economic, financial, and moral support, as well as justice, equality, and unity. Through this role, Layal extended her vision beyond the gallery, shaping real-world change with the same care and attention she brought to her brushstrokes.
Among her many achievements, one of Layal’s most celebrated works is her depiction of Lebanon’s evergreen cedar tree, a piece now hanging with quiet dignity in the presidential palace. This work, at once intimate and monumental, speaks of resilience, pride, and belonging. In its branches, the viewer can almost hear the rustle of ancient winds and feel the steadfast roots anchoring a people through the shifting sands of time.
For Layal, the relationship between architecture and art is a dialogue between form and feeling. The harmony of structure, color, and self-expression has given her the ability to create new perspectives where none seemed possible, transforming absence into presence and silence into a language of its own. This sensibility found voice in her first gallery series Alone Not Lonely, a collection that reimagines solitude as a companion rather than an absence, a fertile ground for reflection and growth.
Through every phase of her journey, Layal Khawly has embodied the dual role of artist and storyteller. Her works invite the viewer to step into a space where the visible and invisible meet, where memory, identity, and hope intertwine in intricate layers. In her world, a painting is never just pigment on canvas; it is a vessel of meaning, a quiet yet unwavering voice that speaks across time and space, reminding us that beauty, when shared, becomes a language without borders.
Follow Artbooth
Abu Dhabi: +971 52 338 4009
+971 2 442 0243
info@artboothgallery.com
Seoul: +82 10-5088-1260
+82 2 560 1230
artboothseoul@artboothgallery.com
Join Mailing List
