Laila Chehab is a Lebanese-Finnish artist living in Beirut. Laila was born in Beirut to a Finnish mother. As a child, she moved to Finland, later returning to her place of birth in 1998. After graduating from Florida Atlantic University, she moved back to Finland for a few years before returning once again to Lebanon, where she continued her art studies for three years at the Art Workshop in Beirut. Laila is best known for her impressionistic oil paintings on canvas. In her works, she uses various techniques and materials. One of Laila’s recent ventures is painting on table runners. Her art is characterized by works that reflect her life through both Lebanese and Finnish cultures. With originality and a profound message, she conveys personal experiences onto the canvas. Through her brush, Laila brings to life the Lebanese way of life, objects, and places in her artworks.

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Laila Chehab Art/Painting

Matthias Wassermann, born in 1962 in Lebanon, grew up under the bright influence of the Mediterranean sun. The vivid light and rich sights of the Middle East shaped his unique way of seeing and capturing light. While he is drawn to strong, intense lighting, he is equally captivated by the obscure beauty of mist and fog, a fascination that led him to develop what he calls *“fogography”*—a style that juxtaposes clarity and obscurity, captured most strikingly in the atmospheric landscapes of Venice.

A self-taught photographer deeply influenced by his father’s passion for the art, Wassermann carries on a family tradition of photography, becoming the one to dedicate his life to creating imagery. His journey into Venetian photography began by chance, when he was asked to photograph a masked man. Enchanted by the artistry of the masks and costumes, he discovered a profound love for the pageantry and spirit of Venice, where fabrics reminiscent of Damascus’s historic *damast* cloth further connected him to his Middle Eastern roots.

Since his first exhibition in 2008 in his hometown, Wassermann has continued to present his work in exhibitions, often alongside fellow artists. Over time, his focus has shifted from nature and landscapes to people—subjects who, as he puts it, “talk back.” Today, his specializations include photographing costumes and masks, portraits of people in changing outfits, as well as dance and expressive portraiture. Through his lens, Matthias Wassermann seeks to capture not only beauty and light, but also the stories that unfold between tradition, imagination, and human expression.

Kreeta Kerkkänen is an equine photographer and psychologist whose effort to explore Lebanon’s horse stables as a rider gradually developed into the Horses of Lebanon photography collection. The collection offers a glimpse into the lives of horses in Lebanon. In her work, Kreeta combines her artistic vision in photography with psychological expertise and a lifelong love of horses to tell authentic stories about horses and the people who cherish them. She currently works as a school psychologist in Toronto, Canada.

Timo Jakola (born in 1957 in Lahti, Finland) is a visual artist whose work explores urban landscapes, everyday cultural environments, as well as themes drawn from rock lyrics and cinema. He mainly works with pastel, oil, and watercolor techniques. Jakola has held numerous solo exhibitions across Finland and participated in many group exhibitions both nationally and internationally, including in Stockholm, Budapest, Berlin, and Frankfurt. His works are represented in several public and private collections, such as those of the Cities of Lahti and Helsinki, and the Film Museum in Potsdam. Recurring motifs in his art include cityscapes and visual interpretations of music, with series inspired by rock lyrics and films. Since 1993, Jakola has also worked as an art educator. The works displayed at the Black Olives Gallery are owned by private collectors and will be available for purchase to the public.