Renowned photographer Farah Al Qasimi unveils residency pieces at Wayne State's David Adamany Undergraduate Library
Farah Al Qasimi, an internationally acclaimed artist, will debut her exhibition, Brotherville, at the David Adamany Undergraduate Library on Thursday, Feb. 13. Along with 2019 Gilda Award recipient and Wayne State University graduate Noura Ballout, the artist will give a lecture Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Bernath Auditorium, in partnership with the Arab American National Museum. The exhibit runs through Friday, March 13.
Al Qasimi will feature work created during her monthlong residency spent photographing Detroit's Arab American community, which was supported by a grant to the Wayne State University Art Collection from the Knight Foundation.
The Knight Foundation grant, "Between Two Worlds: Arab Americans in Detroit," has provided a unique opportunity for a collaborative partnership between the Wayne State University Art Collection and the University Library System. This distinctive program brings together the shared visions of University Library System Dean Jon E. Cawthorne and Art Collection Curator Grace Serra to use art in the library setting as a tool to create dialogue and connect people with information. Both Cawthorne and Serra are confident that the library is the perfect venue to expose the entire community to art, as it takes it beyond the walls of a gallery and brings it into an open, neutral space where creativity, exploration and discovery is nurtured.
Al Qasimi uses photography and film to explore power, gender and taste in the Arab world. Her work has been exhibited internationally and was recently showcased in a solo booth at Art Basel in 2019. Her exhibition at Wayne State will serve an important civic purpose by using art to communicate important information about identity and belonging.
About the University Art Collection
The Wayne State University Art Collection's mission is to use art to educate, inspire, foster creative thinking, and promote the advancement of social and cultural leadership. Guided by the principles that original works of art can be a vital component of higher education, the University Art Collection is a tool to enhance the academic and lifelong learning experiences of students, staff and the community.
For more information about the University Art Collection, visit artcollection.wayne.edu.
Contact:
Grace Serra, University Art Collection Curator/Coordinator
graceserra@wayne.edu, 313-577-9264