Iyad Abou Gaida

Iyad Abou Gaida is a Lebanese farmer, filmmaker, ecological designer, and researcher from Hasbaya, South Lebanon. Raised on his family's olive groves, which have been cultivated for generations, his interdisciplinary practice emerges from a lifelong relationship with the land and investigates the intersections of ecology, colonialism, extractive capitalism, ecocide, and land stewardship through long-term, multi-modular artistic research projects that unfold across documentary film, drawing, mapping, installation, publishing, and collaborative field research.

As co-founder of EcoRove, he develops collaborative artistic research projects that reconnect landscapes, memories, and communities fragmented by colonial borders. This commitment also extends to food systems through his co-founding of Taïm Olive, an initiative established to support farmers, sustain traditional agricultural practices, and produce premium extra virgin olive oil and other foods rooted in the agricultural heritage, biodiversity, and ecological knowledge of Wadi al-Taym.

His work has been presented at the New Museum, New INC, the Tallinn Architecture Biennale, and The Ohio State University, and has received support from the Doha Film Institute, Alserkal Arts Foundation, New INC, and AFAC.

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