Nadine Abdelrahim

My process of creating work begins when I realize my disconnect between what I try to be and who I feel I should be. The mental reconstruction of my image is a way to attempt re-connection in a society that doesn’t always allow for my acceptance.

As a queer, Muslim, American-Palestinian artist, the constant cutting and blending of images begins to feel necessary in order to find myself perceived as an understandable individual. If I am unable to speak the language of the group around me – in whichever form that might possibly be, I begin to question my own validity. I want my work to bridge gaps in seemingly different circumstances, while also beginning to acknowledge and start unspoken conversations within my own central community.

My works highlight moments of imagined exploration – be it mental, sexual, or subconscious states, that all deal with feeling a little bit out of place. While I use myself specifically in ‘Tell Me About Me’, I do not see this strictly as autobiographical. By using myself, it is just a means of allowing that moment of introspective contemplation to become dialogue.