Bringing Stone to Life: Sculptor Yasser Makhoul’s Spiritual and Classical Mastery

With the eyes of an artist and the hands of a storyteller, Yasser Makhoul has been sculpting more than just stone — he’s been chiseling moments of history and human strength into enduring form. A Lebanese-born artist with a gift rooted in childhood adversity and shaped by deep spirituality, Yasser is gaining increasing recognition for his powerful religious and classical sculptures, including his latest work: a tribute to Pope Leo, soon to be exhibited in Brooklyn, New York.

From modest beginnings carving soap and wood, Yasser’s path to becoming a professional sculptor was anything but conventional. “Since I was young, I noticed that I had a good artistic talent,” he says. “Initially, I started drawing, but progressively I noticed that I had a sculpting talent. Due to the poor living conditions, I had to carve with soap and wood when I was a young child. Noticing my talent, I decided to pursue college and specialize in sculpting.”

That early determination led him to establish a career that blends a classical technique with the connection to the subjects he portrays. At the heart of Yasser’s body of work is the monumental religious site “Our Lady of Mercies” in Northern Lebanon, where more than 130 of his pieces are permanently displayed. The expansive shrine is a visual narrative of the Bible.

“A person can literally read the Holy Bible without opening it,” he says. “And understand the life of Jesus Christ from childhood until crucifixion and resurrection. There’s a lot of work present around this shrine, including the holy family, Jesus’ baptism at the hand of John the Baptist, Jesus in the Mount of Olives praying along with his disciples, and the wedding at Cana of Galilee --where water was miraculously transformed into wine.”

The collection, which also includes numerous depictions of the Virgin Mary and religious figures like Saint Francis and Patriarch Doueihi, reflects a mission that is as spiritual as it is artistic. “All this came from a deep interest in portraying the life of Jesus Christ into a vivid tangible reality,” he explains.

Yet Yasser’s work is not confined to sacred themes. He is equally inspired by the aesthetics and ideals of the Greco-Roman world, an influence that dominates many of his secular pieces. “I have been significantly affected by the Greco-Roman culture,” he says. “And have been capable of creating their classical art in many of my sculptures. I have a personal connection to portraying strong figures and leaders.”

Among these are commissioned sculptures of global leaders, including a prominent statue of a Nigerian prince — works that showcase Yasser’s versatility and his appreciation for heroism, dignity, and form. His figures — whether of saints or sovereigns — convey the gravitas and elegance of ancient statuary, yet with a sensibility that is unmistakably his own.

His latest piece, a sculpture of Pope Leo, carries particular emotional weight. “I was waiting for him to come on the TV screen for the first time,” Yasser recalls. “The moment he came on the screen, I felt a special presence at that instant, and I visualized him in my head as a very special piece of art that should be created.”

That vision is now a completed sculpture, soon to be unveiled at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon in Brooklyn. The piece joins his other works there, including sculptures of Saint Charbel and Saint Rafca — figures deeply revered within the Maronite Catholic tradition.

Despite the scope and acclaim of his work, Yasser insists he does not play favorites with his pieces. “I really don’t have a preference,” he says. “Because if I do so it would be as if I am differentiating between my left and right hand. All those pieces contributed to my artistic journey, and I believe that every single piece is equal to the other.”

While he doesn’t name artistic influences beyond the classical canon, Yasser draws inspiration from one timeless idea. “I have only been affected by the saying of the famous Michelangelo, which I have interpreted as, I don’t really create art, but there is a person in rock that I’m trying to salvage. This is the reality of a sculpture.”

It’s a perspective that defines his approach: sculpture not as invention, but as revelation. Through meticulous technique and a deeply intuitive process, Yasser unearths the essence of his subjects — spiritual or historical — and offers them renewed life through stone.