Artist Created Illustrations for Wyoming Olive Firm

Rama Duwaji produced two drawings for Olive Odyssey after October 2025.

Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Painting

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a gnarled olive tree silhouette against a mountainous landscape, representing the brand's reputational controversy.
Olive Odyssey, a Wyoming-based olive firm, faces mounting public scrutiny over branding choices that incorporate controversial portraiture on its retail products. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should public officials be held responsible for the private business activities of their spouses?

In October 2025, artist Rama Duwaji created illustrations for Olive Odyssey, a company headquartered in Wyoming. The firm uses one of these drawings, a portrait of Khalil Abu Osba, on a $62 bottle of olive oil.

Why it matters

The company has faced scrutiny for its branding choices, which include using the portrait of Khalil Abu Osba alongside social media content depicting Israel as a skull.

Olive Odyssey sells a single bottle of olive oil for $62. The product features an illustration by Rama Duwaji that depicts Khalil Abu Osba.

The players

Rama Duwaji

Rama Duwaji is an artist who was commissioned to create illustrations for the Wyoming-based company.

Olive Odyssey

Olive Odyssey is a company headquartered in Wyoming that sells olive oil products featuring commemorative portraits.

Khalil Abu Osba

Khalil Abu Osba is the figure depicted on the company's product packaging and is identified by family members as a historical figure who shot down a British plane.

Lubna Abu-Osba

Lubna Abu-Osba is a family member of Khalil Abu Osba who has shared biographical details about him on social media.

Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani is the Mayor of New York City.

The details

Lubna Abu-Osba, who identifies Khalil Abu Osba as her grandfather, previously stated on Instagram that he was responsible for shooting down a British plane. Olive Odyssey commissioned these specific illustrations to commemorate the figure on their retail packaging.

Timeline

  1. August 2019: Lubna Abu-Osba shared historical details about her grandfather online.

  2. October 2025: Rama Duwaji began creating illustrations for Olive Odyssey.

  3. November 2025: Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City.

Culture Shift

This move reflects the growing trend of utilizing highly polarizing political imagery in boutique consumer product branding to signal specific values. It marks a departure from traditional neutral marketing strategies by tying physical goods directly to historical or political narratives.

Consumers interested in supporting or avoiding the company should note the $62 price point for their products. The presence of the company in Wyoming may influence local retail availability and branding discussions within the state.

The takeaway

When purchasing artisanal products, it is helpful for consumers to verify the context behind the branding and imagery used on the packaging. Understanding the background of the figures commemorated can provide a clearer picture of the values aligned with the product.

Further reading

Learn more about the intersection of commercial art and design by visiting the Painting section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Mediaite.

Live Poll

Should public officials be held responsible for the private business activities of their spouses?