Arwa Abouon

Arwa Abouon
Born 1982 (age 34–35)
Tripoli, Libya
Nationality Canadian
Education Bachelors of Fine Arts
Alma mater Concordia University
Known for Photography
Website arwaabouon.com

Arwa Abouon (born 1982) is a Libyan-Canadian photographer known for exploring the experience of living in the borderland between two different cultures. A graduate of Concordia University, her work has been internationally recognized for its direct examination of the balance between Islam and Western culture.

Biography

Abouon was born in Tripoli, Libya in 1982 and is of Amazigh descent.[1] She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1983 in response to recruitment of young men by the Muammar Gaddafi regime. Her father, Mustafa Muhammad Abouon (1940-2013), feared for the safety of his sons.

Abouon studied at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec where she majored in design art and obtained a bachelor of fine arts, with distinction, in 2007.[2][3]

Career

Abouon's work draws heavily on her experience as an Islamic woman living in the West. Incorporating traditional Islamic customs, clothing and icons alongside symbols of Western cultural, her photos explore the realities of living at the intersection of two cultures.[4][2] Abouon's pieces often feature autobiographical material, including members of her family, which is used to visually express an inner longing for balance with the external world. Her work has drawn attention for its direct examination of the relationship between Islam and the female gender.[5][6] She explains that: "My ultimate aim is to sculpt a finer appreciation of the Islamic culture by shifting the focus from political issues to a poetic celebration of the faith's foundations."[7]

Abouon's work has been displayed internationally at galleries in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and Middle East.[5] Her diptych Mirror Mirror, Allah Allah won second prize at the 26th annual Alexandra Biennale for Mediterranean Countries Award in 2014.[5][4] Valerie Behiery notes that the piece, which shows reflections of Abouon dressed in a veil and without, provides commentary with "deliberate visual simplicity and humour".[8]

Abouon lives and works in Montreal.[5]

Major exhibitions

References

  1. ↑ El-Zobaidi, Dunia (23 October 2015). "The Birthmark Theory of Canadian-Libyan artist Arwa Abouon". www.thearabweekly.com/. The Arab Weekly. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "‘Learning by Heart’ by Libyan-Canadian artist Arwa Abouon". Islamic Arts Magazine. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Abouon, Arwa. "C.V.". Arwa Abouon. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Visual artist Arwa Abouon tackles subjects of identity, gender, humanity and spirituality". al.arte.magazine. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Al-Ageli, Nahla (9 January 2015). "Libyan-Canadian Artist Arwa Abouon Contemplates Life After Death, Angels & Paradise, in Loving Memory of Her Father". Muftah. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Behiery, Valerie (2012). "Imaging Islam in the Art of Arwa Abouon" (PDF). Journal of Canadian Art History. 33 (2): 129–147. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  7. ↑ Chunara, Nazish (August 2016). "Arwa Abouon". Venison. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  8. 1 2 Behiery, Valerie (November 2012). "Arwa Abouon: Learning by Heart". Nafas Art Magazine. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "Arwa Abouon - Learning By Heart". www.thethirdline.com. The Third Line Art Gallery. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Honolulu by Arwa Abouon". artkuwait.org. Sultan Gallery. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Nour Festival - Arwa Abouon - London Print Studio". www.londonprintstudio.org.uk. London Print Studio. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.