Arthaus Beirut has unveiled The Earth Laughs in Flowers, the much-anticipated first solo exhibition by rising Lebanese artist Larissa Chaoul. Organized in collaboration with The Gallerist by Alia Matar Hilal, the opening night drew a vibrant crowd of art lovers, collectors, and critics.
Inspired by a verse from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem Hamatreya, the show dives into the intricate connections between nature, human identity, and memory. The exhibition features over 30 original pieces, including 17 large-scale paintings and 17 metal sculptures. Chaoul’s signature fusion of organic forms and subtle human figures creates an immersive and emotional visual language. Her use of white masks and blank eyes hints at anonymity, transformation, and the layered nature of selfhood.
“The earth laughs in flowers,” Emerson wrote. “It’s a bit ironic,” says Larissa. “And that’s what drew me to it.”
A five-meter floral canvas dominates the main gallery wall, while a series of evocative portraits depict women holding flowers, suspended between bloom and decay. Through distortion, layering, and raw movement, Chaoul translates her background in architecture into tactile, emotional works that feel alive and ever-changing.
With The Earth Laughs in Flowers, Larissa Chaoul delivers a poetic and powerful first statement—marking her arrival as a compelling new voice in the Lebanese contemporary art scene.
