The “Self” Series
by Nada Elshaarawi
2021, Digital Collage
No. 1
A floating self-portrait of the artist cut off just below the shoulders with the face and hand cut out to reveal the Egyptian vegetal patterns in the yellow background. The figure is wearing a black shirt and headscarf with a thick red, blue, and gold necklace.
The pattern in the background is a grid of squares with two alternating square patterns like a checkerboard. One of the patterns has the four sides of every square made of small green ovals attached at each end to make a chain. Each corner has a flower with a red oval bottom and three blue triangular petals coming from one side. The middle of the square is a white outline of a flower with slender, pointed, white petals.
The other square pattern has a circular orange flower with a yellow middle in each corner and small rounded petals. On each side between the orange flowers are three pick flowers. A sizeable flower with blue outlined petals with a smaller blue flower in its centre is in the middle of each square.
The cut out face and hand are filled with white vines growing dark orange and light pink flowers and dark green leaves.
A floating self-portrait of the artist cut off just below the shoulders with the face and hand cut out to reveal the Egyptian vegetal patterns in the yellow background.
No. 2
A floating photographic self-portrait of the artist in a black shirt and headscarf is cut off just below the shoulders. The face of the figure is cut out to reveal the pattern in the background. The figure is reflected and flipped, so it hangs upside down above the bottom figure. The light blue background is a large square Egyptian vegetal pattern that stretches to the long horizontal edges of the frame and leaves a negative rectangular space above and below.
A repetitive pattern of four green circles that intersect in the middle makes up the outside of the square. A thick green square, lines the inner edge of this pattern. The figures' heads turn slightly with a large flower behind the back of the head. The flower has two large, dark blue, oval petals on the bottom and six light blue petals fanned in-between. There are three red tulips in the square corners with two pink cloud shapes above the tulips in the bottom right and top left corners. There are two teal and two yellow tulips above the red ones in the bottom left and top right corners. Between the two figures' heads is a line of five blue flowers with eight petals. The middle three flowers are small, and the two flowers on either end are more prominent with a white spiral in the middle. Three green clouds line the outer edge of the large flowers. The white flowers with pointed petals in the centre with similar green flowers above and below and brown petals poking in from the cut out edge.
Two floating self-portraits of the artist cut off just below the shoulders with the face cut out to reveal the Egyptian vegetal patterns in the blue background. One portrait is upright, and the other is upside down just above the other.
No. 3
A floating photographic self-portrait of the artist in a black shirt and headscarf with a thick striped blue, red, gold, and white necklace with round beads of the same colours hanging off the edge. The figure is cut off at the waist, and the face is cut out.
The background is red with Egyptian vegetal patterns. Large light pink flowers poke out from behind the bottom of the figure, with a yellow flower flowing out from either shoulder. Next, small light blue petals poke off from behind the figure's arms. Finally, two blue flowers with eight petals and white outlines float on either side of the figure's head.
In the area of the cut out face are four small pink flowers that surround a blue diamond shape that crosses at the bottom and continues until the bottom edge of the face. Within this blue diamond, are yellow circles with a red dot in the centre and are surrounded by green leaf-like shapes. In the very center of the diamond is a yellow diamond with two swirl shapes on either side outlined in the same red as the background.
A floating self-portrait of the artist cut off at the waist with the face cut out to reveal the Egyptian vegetal patterns in the red background.
“The ‘self’ series is inspired by traditional Egyptian tent fabric (Khayamiya), illustrating the oneness with fabric that covers my body. Growing up, I found lots of vegetal patterns that come from Egypt around my house. The patterns in my artworks are inspired by traditional Egyptian tent fabric (Khayamiya), a pattern that reminds people of celebrations, and I celebrate my Identity. ”
Nada Elshaarawi is a contemporary digital artist who combines History with Modernity. She mainly focuses on her identity and explores ways to express Islamic and Egyptian traditions as they pertain to her. Her artwork is inspired by the Hurufiyya art movement from the Middle East/North Africa. She seeks to reclaim Egyptian art and culture in a post-colonial context, as she has always lived outside her motherland. Her knowledge of cultures and traditions has been passed down through generations.