See Me Where I Am
| Date | 01.18.19 |
| Format | |
| Medium | |
| Admission | Free |
| Event artist | |
| Presented by |
| 02.21.19 | Nadia Waheed: "Notes From a Windowless Room" at Raw Paw by Wayne Alan Brenner (Austin Chronicle) |
'New Work by Nadia Waheed
Four continents, four weddings, one divorce, one funeral and one international move. The events of 2018 triggered a long string of questions pertaining to my identity and female selfhood- these autobiographical paintings strive to meld connection with the self, with racial and cultural identity, and are peppered with a meandering through subconscious imagery.
These are paintings of women in various levels of intimacy with each other and themselves, demonstrating varying degrees of openness and closedness; windows to their state of self, indicators to their place in their own journey as individuals. These works are questions on what woman means, what self-acceptance looks like. Some women surrender, others are champions, and all are facets of one whole.
Their multicolored skin is a question asking what designates race- what really signifies one’s identity? Long braids, a revered symbol of beauty in Southwest Asia, are a main feature of most figures and epitomize the cultural and societal expectations of women- the weaving of two together are a metaphor for the hope that united we can lessen the burden on ourselves and find empowerment.
Nadia Waheed (b. 1992) is originally from Karachi, Pakistan and was born in Saudi Arabia. She obtained her BFA in Painting and Drawing from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 2015 and currently lives in Austin, TX after moving from Sydney, Australia.
