Meriam Salem | Alameda, CA
DisOrienting
Photograph (2019)
This artwork is part of a photo essay entitled “DisOrienting,” which focuses on world-building through the genres of science fiction and fantasy. The piece highlights the forgotten history of feminine spiritual expression in Muslim communities as a way to shape the American fabric and counter Orientalist, sexist and Islamophobic portrayals of Muslims.
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Meriam Salem
Meriam Salem is a human on earth interested in the lived experiences of other humans on earth. Her artwork explores the intergenerational beauty of her cultural and spiritual communities throughout their histories and futures. Recently, her photo series "Broken Into Language" was featured in Forbes as an interview she did with fellow artists in the "Reflections on Home" exhibit- a collaboration with ArTogether, GAMA, and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. The photo series explores the social-geographical construction of home in the aftermath of displacement. The series seeks to reflect on policies, discourses, and lived experiences determining the right to life, home and belonging for Syrians seeking refuge in Turkey as a result of the Syrian Civil War.