Lara Zankoul, a Lebanese interdisciplinary artist based in Beirut, has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary conceptual photography. Blending surrealism with psychological insight, her work constructs richly symbolic worlds that examine the hidden layers of human existence — the unspoken, the overlooked, the quietly profound.

Her photographs do more than captivate; they provoke. With each image, Zankoul crafts a scene that dances between reality and imagination, drawing viewers into a visual dialogue about identity, emotion, and the structures of modern society.

From Economics to Emotional Architecture
Born in Lebanon in 1987, Zankoul graduated with a degree in economics from the American University of Beirut — a discipline known for its rigid frameworks and logic. Yet it was precisely this foundation that helped shape her singular visual language. A self-taught photographer, she transformed her analytical training into a tool for composing meticulously structured yet deeply emotive imagery.
This unexpected intersection of logic and lyricism infuses her work with unique tension: behind each ethereal photograph lies careful intention, balance, and conceptual depth.

“The Unseen”: Portraits of What Lies Beneath
Among Zankoul’s most iconic projects is The Unseen, a photographic series that visualizes the contrast between surface and depth — both physically and metaphorically. In these images, poised figures stand half-submerged in water tanks, their upper bodies anchored in stark reality while their lower halves drift in surreal, dreamlike tableaux.

It’s a haunting metaphor for the duality of the human condition — what we show versus what we conceal, the calm exterior veiling the emotional undercurrents below.

Each image in the series is choreographed with precision, featuring elaborate set design, carefully curated props, and masterful lighting. The result is not merely a photograph but a visual stage — a frozen moment of psychological theater.