The art of belonging: Arab American artist Saj Issa explores identity, ritual and labor in new works
Saj Issa is a master’s of fine arts candidate at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture. She combines Islamic art history with Western iconicism to speak to members of the Palestinian diaspora.
"Multidisciplinary Arab American artist Saj Issa often finds herself at the crossroads of identity. Born and raised in St. Louis, Issa has only ever lived at the intersection of two contrasting cultures, inspiring her to merge them into one of her own.
Issa, who is a master’s of fine arts candidate at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, grew up in the diaspora alongside a community of Palestinians descending from the same region. Issa and her peers spoke a fusion they call “Arab-ish” — slang that combines their distinct dialect of Arabic spoken by agriculturists and English. As an adult, she is adamant about pushing boundaries and visualizing the intricacies of cultural traditions and social issues through her art.
“My art is a representation of my personal experiences of displacement identity and social issues,” said Issa, who often uses Western commercial logos in her art, conflating with Eastern architectural designs and motifs." — Madeline Adamo, April 27, 2022
This post is an excerpt. Read the full article on the UCLA Newsroom website.
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