Samar Abdelrahim

BFA Graphic Design

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As a Sudanese woman living in the United States, I always want to create photos, illustrations and handcrafted jackets using fabrics that reveal the beauty of my country and modern culture while showing my own struggle to define my cultural identity. I lived in Sudan for 18 years, and 5 years ago I moved to the U.S.A. it has been a dramatic change in my life. In this period of my life I have started questioning how am I going to fit into this new culture, and this made me question everything about my personality.

 

My work expresses a sense of love that I have for my home, but I keep questioning my identity as a Sudanese living in a different country. Now, after I have been in the U.S.A. for almost 6 years developing new language skills and a new way of life, I feel conflicted when I try to adapt my cultural origins to my current lifestyle. I always use pictures that represent my identity and the place that I came from, like the way we dress and the vibrant colors of fabric that bring the feeling of happiness. It is called Toabe, this most important feature distinguishing what Sudanese women wear. Toabe is a part of the Sudanese heritage, expressing Sudanese identity and culture, and it is a symbol of the power and strength of Sudanese women. I loved to show everything that may reflect the beautiful side of my country. This way I can live in a new environment just by keeping my past and my traditions in my mind as I move forward. 

 

In my work I like to use many mediums, such as illustration, but I always prefer to use fabrics because it shows my heavily rooted bond to the Sudanese tradition.