I just participated in the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival.
This film was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research and the Ras Al Khaima Fine Arts Festival.
Aminah is a dialog between a poet, a critic, and an emirate. It is an experimental biography of poet Ahmad al Assam who has lived his entire life in Ras Al Khaimah. Ride along with Ahmad al Assam as he shares the intimate spaces around Ras Al Khaimah that have inspired his discourse on family, loss, love, and country. The environment, culture, and people are the catalysts for his poems that depict a greater narrative on the inevitable, change.  The poet shares his stories in verse and prose. View Ras Al Khaimah from the sky, hear the words that are echoed in the sea, and feel the passion of critic, Dr. Haitham Yehia Al-Khawajah, who refused to give up on the importance of poetry to Ras Al Khaimah and to the region.

For more information about the festival: http://rakfinearts.ae/index/en/
For short instagram video about the premiere opening: https://www.instagram.com/p/BubI3SwAZ9_/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

It is not easy to rush back into life in the US after nearly a year away.  It's been a series of non-stop days looking for employment, catching up on bills, and delaying taxes. Although, I'm excited to jump into the final phase of my documentary post production: building an audience and dissemination of the process.  The final film from my work in Lusaka, Zambia is called WARD B12.  The filming took place at the University teaching hospital in Lusaka.  

The trailer is available right now on Vimeo: vimeo.com/206996681

The full film will be available to the public soon.  

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I am happy to announce that I have completed the MFA program in Book Arts at The University of Alabama. 

The exhibition was titled A Functional Outsider: Namibia Collection.  The bookwork below is titled Concrete Facts.
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After 5 weeks in Namibia for my current project, I am happy to be home.  I gathered more than enough material for a documentary, exhibit, and thesis.  The overall statement of my project came into focus while on my adventure.  My work is a statement on the influence of tourism and outsiders on Namibia's indigenous craft culture.  The adventure was grueling but, one thing remained easy… talking to the kids.  Kids are always happy to meet you and find out what you are all about.

Here is a selfie I took in a Himba village in NW Namibia.

Artprize 2013 is well on its way.  I'm so excited to be a part of the process.  I was able to display my sculpture at the K-Light Foundation and hundreds, maybe thousand? of people walked by the exhibit.

I was able to travel up to Michigan for the installation thanks to the support of the the University of Alabama Graduate School Travel Fund Grant and matching funds from the SLIS Graduate School - Book Arts.

More about my ARTPRIZE experience & Pics...