Zizi Shalabi

Zizi Shalabi

Degree Completed

BFA in Studio Art/Graphic Design

Artist Statement

My work explores ideas of belonging, identity, and culture. As a Palestinian American artist, I capture images in search of a sense of belonging and purpose. At a young age I found myself navigating within two cultures. In public I tried to fit into American cultures and at home I was tried to honor my Palestinian heritage. I found myself caught between two worlds until I decided to blend both cultures into one. In my photographs I strive to capture the complex experience of being a woman in two completely different cultures.

As a designer my work is mostly photography and including graphic design elements. I make photographic portraits that reflect cultural values using patterns, embroideries, and embellishments from my Palestinian heritage. The image that is captured is then manipulated, embellished, and enhanced, to make it a little more personal and create understanding of my cultural roots. The images include beads, patterns, thread, henna, gold, and Arabic calligraphy to decorate the images. In Patterns, a group portrait of my sisters, mother, and aunt, I want to be able to show that siblings from the same household can have completely different perspectives on culture.

My work is about making a connection between the viewer and the subject, so that they may identify with similar experiences from their life. The mix of conflicting feelings and thoughts that arise out of living between cultures are familiar to many people. I strive to present a variety of perspectives to contradict the cultural perceptions of femininity and gender in traditional Middle Eastern culture. I present my personal prospective of what it means to be a Palestinian American, so that I can capture myself in different lights, as a Muslim, American, Palestinian, and feminist with strong ties to both traditions.