Maya

Zena el Khalil is an artist and writer. Born in London, she lives and works in Beirut. Her work encompasses various forms of expression: painting, performance, and installation, employing a variety of techniques, including collage and writing. Violence and war are the main themes she addresses; in her works, soldiers, men and women, and civilians are adorned with plastic flowers, glitter, toy soldiers, fabrics, jewelry, and other objects collected in Beirut.
In addition to international solo and group exhibitions, el Khalil is very active in promoting and representing Arab artists in numerous cultural projects.
During the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006, the artist started a blog (beirutupdate.blogspot.com) to recount the 33-day "siege" through her personal perspective and the testimonies of those around her. The blog received international press attention. She recently published her first book, the autobiography "Beirut I Love You."