“A bolder look, a more confident me” — Lana Khayat on Arab News
Lebanese artist Lana Khayat discusses her first solo exhibition in Saudi Arabia, The White Lilies of Marrakech – Women as Timeless Narratives, on view at Riyadh’s Hafez Gallery until March 25. Inspired by the Centennial of Jardin Majorelle, the show weaves together botanical forms and Arabic and Berber cultural motifs to celebrate enduring female strength and heritage .
Nature, femininity & script in vibrant harmony
“Nature was always my main inspiration, but recently I’ve added another layer of botanical forms,” Lana shares, explaining how the lily—once a shy motif—now takes center stage: “big and lush, and very present.” The lily symbolizes women standing tall—silent in strength yet commanding in presence .
Marrakech as muse: tradition meets reinvention
On finding inspiration in Marrakech, Lana says: “It embodies the fusion of tradition and modernity… The lilies, for me, are women, standing strong… This interplay of my study of women, my study of lilies, and my study of languages… Marrakesh is the perfect place” .
From family lineage to finding her voice
Tracing her artistic roots, Lana reflects on growing up in a male-dominated Ajami restoration lineage—her great-grandfather and father—a legacy of patience and craft that shaped her. “I had to forge a place for myself… but I slowly found my voice.” A move to New York, work at the Guggenheim, and mentorship from Qaswra Hafez helped her overcome self-doubt and embrace authenticity .
The artist & her influences
Describing herself as “a big introvert,” Lana has learned “the truer I am to my work, the more people relate to it.” She honors female artistic bravery—inspired by Frida Kahlo’s boldness and Etel Adnan’s interdisciplinary blending of poetry, landscape, and abstraction—while also blending Western and Arab artistic influences. Her work layers calligraphy and abstract gesture to reflect evolving Arab heritage—not static, but alive .