Tells us a little about your up bringing.
I am a California native. I was born in North Hollywood and grew up in Orange County. I am the eldest of five kids and was raised in a very large middle eastern family. I am first generation Arab American. My mother is originally from Lebanon and my father is from Kuwait.
In 2010 you graduated with a M.F.A. Degree at California College of the Arts, San Francisco, and was a Joan Mitchell recipient that year. How was the transition from your masters to studio practice on your own?
I think that the transition from C.C.A. to working outside of school was relatively easy. I was fortunate enough to move into a studio right away with friends from C.C.A. I believe that helped keep the momentum going. I also think that being employed through out graduate school allowed me to mange my studio time more efficiently. I developed a routine pretty early on.
You were able to travel during this period where did you go and how did it influence your work?
Traveling has always influenced my work in some form or another. In February, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit India. This trip was a personal challenge. I wasn't sure what I would be inspired by and didn't have any expectations. I wanted to get lost in an unfamiliar territory. This definitely happened multiple times. While traveling, I found myself attracted to the contemplative sites that were dispersed all around and found reprieve from within as well as beside these varied (many make-shift) devotional spaces. I was mesmerized by the light. It was reflected from the exterior to the interior of the shrines and appeared calculated and transformative. I found the sacred and diverse rituals, still preserved and performed, compelling. These aspects of my trip became points of interest. Prior to arriving in India, I decided that I throughout the duration of my trip, would I record my first recollection of each day as a drawing. Upon returning home in March, this collection of 37 drawings became a book and a visual resource for a forthcoming piece- my own provisional version of a devotional object. I called this Shrine, and with Monet’s, Rouen Cathedral series in mind I exposed it to different light conditions and produced a painting from observation each day for 31 days. My intention with this series of works was to represent these paintings/fragments of Shrine as an actual space/installation that was activated like a painting.
You have now relocated from San Francisco back to Los Angeles. As environment and place is important to your work, how has the transition back to LA influenced your current work?
I am sure moving back to Los Angeles, has affected my work, but I am not certain how to articulate the shift clearly yet. I just finished a series of paintings that seem to be more specially complex. They also seem crammed. I think that has to do more with the physical space that I am occupying in my studio and at home. I live right by LACMA and paintings that I see there are creeping in to my work. That is exciting!
As a Gallery Manager for George Lawson Gallery do you engage and conceptualize shows together? Tell us what a typical day or week looks like working at the gallery.
George Lawson is the Director of the gallery and has planned future exhibitions through 2013. My job is to assist with making these exhibitions happen. Along with exhibiting artists' work, the gallery also designs and publishes artist's books in-house. The books are usually produced each month with a few exceptions. My average week at the gallery varies. It usually consists of managing inventory, assisting with designing books, preparing for future exhibitions, conducting clerical tasks. The installation/ de-installation process happens once a month and usually lasts a few days. It is always exciting to install a new show and get to discover first hand the power that each body of work exudes. The openings are always an exciting burst of energy. It is always great to observe the enthusiasm surrounding an exhibition and discuss the artwork with people who appreciate it.
Who are you looking at right now, and who or what is inspiring you?
Lately, I have been very inspired by Gold Leaf, scribes, and Alexej von Jawlensky. I discovered Jawlensky again at LACMA. A tiny painting called Variations VII sparked my interest. He also produced a series of portraits called Meditations that I can't stop thinking about. I also read an article yesterday about Charlotte Bronte's recently discovered manuscript which contains more than 4,000 words and is half the size of a credit card. I am compelled by the lengths that people take to record their thoughts.
http://remaghuloum.com/
http://remaghuloum.com/