Heritage Series

The Heritage series focuses on several elements that relate to Libya and the cultural elements that mirror the way my culture is represented within my thoughts and upbringing. Through this collection, I attempt to use art as a unique and creative tool to explore traditions, ideas, and nostalgic appearances of a place that I know in my heart; a place that carries a large part of who I am despite the fact that I did not grow up in local Libya.

Ghdamsiya

I Am (Collage Series)

I've always enjoyed blurring the border between written art forms such as poetry, and visual arts forms; in this case, collage. In this collection, I found little scraps of words from the insides of an altered book that have been collected to my growing reservoir of cut pages. From there, I would write a poem based on the phrase or word that I found and proceed to create a collage based on that very poem. Creating this collection was a blast, and I pushed my artistic abilities to the limits.

uncertain world

we’re resting in an
uncertain world
being tested in devotion ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ where none of it is worth it—
where all the sharp rocks
are dressed in ninety layers of silk ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ and they’re pounding in our heads,
“let me in, let me in”
where the strong will dismiss it ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ but the weak wish its welcome
then those in the in between
don’t reject but confess it ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ and I wonder where I’d be
where I am
where you are ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ how the stars will align
how I can stop my mother’s cry
how I can help you help me help you walk away ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ from this sharp edge that looks so beautiful
an edge that’ll
cut you burn you break you and tear away any chance you have ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ of leaving this world with something more.

Blackout Collage

This was my first collective experimental collection between the mingling of poetry and the visual arts. Skimming through pages of the book ‘Adrift’ by Steven Callahan, I took note of some phrases that I had later created poems with. I then created mini portraits within the book of women that might have been expressive to the poem in question.

make it work

make every single situation
shoot a bulls eye.
churn hearts,
get your groove
on display,
move the skies
with your rhythm
let the world see
your truth.
climb the roof
of your heart
& throw the junk mail
right out.
because you're worth
more than that.
believe me,
you're on the right track.