Rayan Ayash

Rayan Ayash is a Lebanese-born photographer and visual artist based in Beirut. He is best known for his captivating and thought-provoking images that explore the complexities of identity, culture, and politics.

Ayash was born in Beirut in 1985 and grew up surrounded by the city’s vibrant culture. He developed an early interest in photography, which he pursued while studying at the American University of Beirut. After graduating with a degree in photography, he began to work as a freelance photographer for various publications and organizations.

Ayash’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including at the Tate Modern in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His photographs have also been published widely, appearing in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, National Geographic, and TIME Magazine.

In addition to his photographic work, Ayash has also directed several short films that have been screened at film festivals around the world. His most recent project is a feature-length documentary about his hometown of Beirut titled “Beirut: A City Divided” which was released in 2020.

Ayash’s work has earned him numerous awards including the Prix Pictet Award for Photography (2020), the Hasselblad Masters Award (2018), and the International Center of Photography Infinity Award (2017). He continues to live and work in Beirut where he is currently working on a new series of photographs exploring themes of displacement and belonging.