Collection: Alymamah Rashed

Alymamah Rashed, born 1994 in Kuwait, is a storyteller and painter. She explores her faith and identity while addressing the personal and collective trauma she experienced.

A painter at heart, Alymamah received her MFA from Parsons School of Design in New York and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Her connection to Kuwait and New York converge in a world she creates on her canvas, a surreal and personal depiction of herself. Her autobiographical portraits encompass all that she absorbs in her daily life from her faith to ornaments of found objects culminating in a meditative space. The ritualistic and introspective act of painting makes the canvas a space for healing. Vulnerable and honest, the paintings raise questions and urge self reflection. She questions the faith she was taught and embarks on a journey of rediscovery, probing the delicate discourse of her identity and spirituality. Alymamah’s paintings are not just a visual documentation of her personal life, but also a collective reflection of what many women, Muslims, and Arabs experience. The strength of her paintings comes from her ability to critically tackle difficult subjects in the region with intellect and poise. Not overtly political, her work nevertheless addresses issues of Islamophobia, gender equality, racism, reclaiming one’s spirituality and femininity, and challenging social norms.