Lara Youakim

Lara Youakim works were first mostly influenced by women and Asia.
Since her return to the country (Lebanon), and shocked by the huge, fast and chaotic changes of Beirut, she started to work on that theme. She denounces the duality life/ loss and death of the soul of Beirut (knowing that happens in all cities of the world). Living in a traditional old Beirut house makes it harder for her to accept the exaggerate modernization of the city, not taking in consideration its people or historical interest of the, unfortunately, disappearing old Beirut. Besides, even though a certain number of buildings are beautiful, most of the time they don’t fit in their location because of the lack of urbanism.
Two other important themes are people as they are the essence of the soul of a city and trees which are synonym of life.

Born in 1968, Lara spent her childhood in Beirut and started her artistic studies at ALBA, Beirut before continuing in Paris at Académie Charpentier (Drawing, Painting), École Boulle (Perspective), ENSAAMA/Atelier de Serres (Murals: Fresco, Laquer, Mosaic) and Ateliers de la Mairie de Paris (traditional religious icon making).
She then started a major in Chinese language and civilization before settling in China for 15 years, during which she studied for 7 years Chinese traditional painting and calligraphy, as well as Japanese floral art of Ikebana for which she’s got certificates from Kyoto Ikebana School.
The few last years of her Chinese stay, she has been on and off in Bali where she followed several courses and workshops such as Balinese sculpture, silver jewel making, Batik making, Bamboo & Rattan weaving…
She attended several workshops in Beirut as well, such as silkscreen printing and weaving and completed a session of etching techniques course.

Lara is very interested in artistic techniques and her works display a mix of these and of different influences, Asian, Lebanese and western.

She has exhibited since around 2005 in China, Lebanon, KSA, Paris, Corsica...

May 2023: Expo by Bemo Bank/ Rotating Art. LWC. Lebanon.

Sept. 2023: Expo by Bemo Bank/ Rotating Art. Spanish Embassy. Lebanon.

July 2022: Collective exhibition. Jacques Ouaiss Gallery. Beirut. Lebanon.

June/July 2021:
- Expo. Journée de l'Estampe. Paris. France.
- Expo. Festival de l'eau. Corsica. France.

April 2021: Collective expo. AOB. Beirut. Lebanon.

Dec. 2020: Collective expo. AOB. Beirut. Lebanon.

Dec. 2019: Collective expo. Cheriff Tabet Gallery. Beirut. Lebanon.

Dec.-Jan. 2018/19:
Collective exhibition. KAF Gallery. Beirut.
Lebanon.

July 2018: Villa Paradiso Expo. Batroun. Lebanon.

June 2018: Afkart Expo. Zaytuna Bay. Beirut. Lebanon.

August 2017: Mzaart sous la tente expo. Faraya. Lebanon.

July 2017: Brocante des artistes. Arc-en-ciel. Beirut. Lebanon.

May 2017: Les Créneaux exhibit. Beirut. Lebanon.

December 2016:
- Mtayleb Country Club exhibit. Lebanon.
- Deir el Kalaa exhibit. Beit-Mery. Lebanon.

August 2016: Mzaart sous la tente expo. Faraya. Lebanon.

July 2016: Brocante des artistes. Arc-en-ciel. Beirut. Lebanon.

July 2015: Brocante des artistes. Arc-en-ciel. Beirut. Lebanon.

January 2015: Permanent display of a select...