artist statement

in my art practice, i explore themes of somali culture in relation to sexuality, gender expression, femininity, religion, and home. the interconnectivity that comes from holding all of these identities that collide almost violently is reflected heavily in my work. i use art as a tool to further visualize and engage with these intersecting and conflicting identities as i see myself as a storyteller. i am intrigued by the layering of objects and combining traditional and non-traditional patterns, concepts, and worlds as i meticulously investigate my own history to reimagine my home and my forgotten past.

somalia, as a predominantly muslim country, has heavily influenced my upbringing and way of life. the overlaps of somali culture in relation to Islam are quite fascinating. being part of a diaspora that spans a multitude of countries forced an adaptation of culture that has become something new entirely. our elders were no longer able to pass down the traditions of our war-torn country, and so they began trying to hold onto the small memories they had left––and created a facade, a utopia in their head: a world where everything is stagnant and still. this is precisely why my work is all about movement, letting go, imagining new worlds, and recreating the concept of home. the past is important and it is what grounds us, but if one becomes too still they can forget how to move forward.

i take traditional somali fabrics, patterns, cloth, audio, and visuals and recreate them into my own world. my work has fantastical elements because i see myself as a fantastical being; one that is not meant to be present, especially with regard to my queerness. there is an emphasis on quick movements and gestures––vulgar language both in somali and english and this is all to examine the stiffness that is somalinimo (the essence of being somali). it is entirely possible to imagine worlds and translate these worlds through art, and that is what i hope to accomplish with these works.

i hope to create space for other somali queer individuals who do not have the language or means to describe themselves. i hope to touch those who cannot express their identity as freely as others or those who do not feel comfortable in themselves. i hope to inspire, motivate, intrigue, attract, and evolve. i hope all those who find my work can feel safe enough to engage with it to the full extent. i hope to create language to describe myself and other individuals like myself, language that does not contain any negative connotations, but rather uplifts these marginalized identities. i hope to find community and create community. and i hope all my wildest dreams come true, but until then i will utilize visuals and moving images to capture the entity that is me: fathuumo athan.