Arab-American artist creates installation at MSU Billings
Published: January 11, 2011
An installation by Arab-American artist Hend Al-Mansour, titled “Fatimah in America III,” is on display Jan. 14-Feb. 11 at Northcutt Steele Gallery at MSU Billings. The artist, who arrived in Billings Jan. 8 to create the multi-roomed installation, will discuss her work at 4 p.m. Jan. 14 in room 205 of the Liberal Arts Building; a reception follows from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery.
Al-Mansour was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. She graduated from the University of Cairo in 1980 and practiced medicine in Saudi Arabia until she came the United States in 1997 to escape the Saudi oppression of women.
Since receiving an MFA from the Minnesota College of Art and Design in 2002, she has participated in local and national shows, offered lectures about Arab women and art and her personal journey, and curated exhibitions for other Arab and Muslim artists.
Al-Mansour’s work makes references to the identity and gender politics in Arab society and in Islamic teaching, while paying homage to Arabic and Islamic art forms. In “Fatimah in America III,” she uses art to portray the lives of five women who have come from the Middle East to begin new lives in America.
“Though I make art about people, it manifests as homages to Oriental rugs, Arabesques, Arab mosaics, tile design, mosques, and Arabic architecture,” she said in a recent interview. “My color palette is vibrant and expressive – mostly reds and yellows. While my themes are revolutionary, especially within Arab culture, the way I make art draws upon traditional Arab aesthetics.”
The Northcutt Steele Gallery, located on the first floor of the LA building at MSU Billings, is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday when school is in sessions.
To learn more about Al-Mansour and her art, visit www.hendalmansour.com.
