Rana Samara

Rana Samara (born 1985) is a Palestinian painter. Her work explores societal expectations and taboos regarding Palestinian women's sexuality and gender roles.[1]

Early life and education

Samara was born in Jerusalem.[1] She grew up in a "typical Palestinian family".[2] At one point in her childhood, her family's home was stormed by Israeli soldiers while she was playing Super Mario, a memory which later inspired pieces of her art.[2] As a teenager, she began analyzing social expectations as they related to gender.[2]

Samara's father encouraged her to study finance, but after one semester she changed her major to art.[3] She completed a two-year degree at Palestine Technical College in graphic design. [4] She then went on to study contemporary visual arts at International Academy of Art Palestine.[3][5] She later obtained a master's degree in Fine Art from Northwestern University in Illinois.[3]

Career

Samara's work often focuses on places and objects, particularly indoor rooms, rather than human figures.[6][2] She has said she wants to move away from common Palestinian artistic motifs, like olive trees, and to instead portray everyday interior life as a way to "make the private public".[2] She is inspired by "intimate stories and female wisdom".[2] Her painting style has been compared to Henri Matisse and David Hockney.[2]

Samara is represented by Zawyeh Gallery in Ramallah.[2] In 2016, she had her first solo exhibition, Intimate Spaces, at the gallery.[5] The exhibition was based on a year of research in Al-Am'ari refugee camp and West Bank villages, during which she interviewed women residents about their sex lives and experiences with intimacy.[5][3] The exhibition was later shown at Art Dubai in 2017.[3][7]

In 2019, Samara exhibited her series "War Games" at Art Dubai.[2] The paintings were born out of an 18-month research project based in Jerusalem and Jordan, and focused on the dreams of children and refugees impacted by war.[2] They were inspired by Samara's interaction with a young boy in Jerusalem whose home had been destroyed.[2]

In June 2021, Samara's pieces were included in Zawyeh Gallery's permanent group exhibition.[8]

In June 2022, Samara exhibited in Zawyeh Gallery's Dubai gallery; her 40 piece exhibition, Inner Sanctuary, focused on "the artist’s conception of her own intimate space from an emotional perspective".[1][6][9][4]

During the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, Samara worked with Zawyeh Gallery to raise money to support humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.[10] She created pieces inspired by images of the war, specifically looking at what children carried with them as they evacuated their homes.[10]

Personal life

Samara lives in Ramallah, in the West Bank.[11][10] She has three children,[11] and is estranged from her ex-husband.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Saleh, Hams (2022-06-22). "Artist Rana Samara explores intimate space in new exhibit at Zawyeh Gallery". Arab News. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Talass, Rawaa (2019-05-22). "Artist Rana Samara explores a new symbolism in the intimate lives of Palestinians". Arab News. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Morelli, Naima (2017-12-17). "Intimacy in condensed spaces: interview with Palestinian artist Rana Samara". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  4. ^ a b "Zawyeh Gallery hosts Palestinian artist Rana Samara's Inner Sanctuary show". www.gulftoday.ae. 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  5. ^ a b c Kamisher, Eliyahu (2016-08-21). "Inside the bedroom, Palestinian artist explores sexual taboos". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  6. ^ a b "Dubai exhibition highlights Palestinian artist Rana Samara's latest work". Arab News. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  7. ^ Boucher, Brian (2017-03-14). "Sex, Oil, and Family: 3 Cutting-Edge Artists at Art Dubai". Artnet News. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  8. ^ Nysten, Anastasia (2021-06-23). "Permanent Palestinian Collective at Zawyeh Gallery". Selections Arts Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  9. ^ Flynn, Erica (2022-08-12). "Palestinian artist Rana Samara's latest works are showcased at Zawyeh Gallery, Dubai". Magzoid Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  10. ^ a b c Diaz, Jaclyn (2024-01-07). "Art and war: Israeli and Palestinian artists reflect on Oct. 7 and the crisis in Gaza". NPR. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  11. ^ a b Estrin, Daniel (2016-01-26). "This artist's work isn't about the Israeli occupation. She paints Palestinian bedrooms — post-sex". The World. Retrieved 2024-01-07.