NCMA in Dialogue: Seeking Self

Tune in to NCMA in Dialogue for thought-provoking conversations with artists, musicians, and filmmakers as we approach the timely and important topics of society and culture and explore how creatives are using the arts as a tool for change in the world.

“Seeking Self” is an online panel discussion moderated by Alia El-Bermani with Leila Abdelrazaq, Precious Lovell, and Sylvia Maier addressing how, as El-Bermani states, “womxn of culture see and therefore represent themselves.” These diverse artists–a graphic zine maker, a textile artist, and a figurative painter–use varied materials and ways of storytelling to define their place in this complex world. Their approaches to self-portraiture both utilize and break free of Eurocentric traditions to explore the ongoing evolution of identity, how place is a factor in self-determination, and the inherent political nature of self-portraits, especially when created by artists of color.

Artwork image courtesy of the artist, Sylvia Maier, and Malin Gallery