Product Description

The rich history and culture of the Arab American people is found in the passionate works of its artists. Whether they be traditional media such as painting and calligraphy, or more sophisticated media such as digital work and installation, the pieces represent the beauty of heritage, the struggles of growing up in war-torn countries, the identity conflicts of female artists in male-dominated societies, and the issues surrounding migration to a Western culture very different from one's own.

Many of the artists included here, though their works appear in museums and galleries throughout the world, have never before been featured in a reference book. Interviews conducted by the author provide a personal look into the experiences and creative processes of these artists. Artists included: *Etel Adnan *Wasma Chorbachi *Nihad Dukhan *Kahlil Gibran *Sari Khoury *Emily Jacir *Sari Khoury *Mamoun Sakkal *Mary Tuma *Madiha Umar *Afaf Zurayk

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #793080 in Books
• Published on: 2007-12-30
• Released on: 2007-12-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Review
“The Encyclopedia of Arab American Artists profiles individuals both familiar and obscure in the United State and elsewhere.”–America.gov

About the Author
FAYEQ S. OWEIS is an Arab American artist and a professor of Arabic Language and Culture at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. He has a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies with focus on Arabic and Islamic arts. As an artist, he designed the exterior entranceway murals and the calligraphy of the interior dome of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. . He has also exhibited his Arabic calligraphic compositions through out the United States, and was an Artist-in-residence at the Art Institute of Chicago in February 2007.

Customer Reviews

Monumental Achievement
I just received this wonderful, new book within the past few days and have enjoyed reading all the entries. In his Introduction, Mr. Oweis states: "I see this book as an attempt at writing our own histories and creating our own narratives." He succeeded as this book is THE monumental work in its field and Fayeq Oweis is to be congratulated for his efforts.

He profiles about 100 Arab-American artists and organizations. The book is replete with B&W photos of the artists and their works as well as several pages in color. Each profile provides the vital statistics of the artist, their preferred medium/media, a biography, a description of their work, a listing where one can review the artist's works, and the resources used in the writing of the profile. After the profiles, the book has a section on Resources on Arab American Artists and Arab Culture in the US; a Selected Bibliography; a Materials Index; and, a standard Index to the references and names appearing within the book. If you're an Arab American or interested in art, do not pass this by.