Artist Bio
Rana Kadry is an Egyptian/Canadian illustrator based in Stockholm. Her practice involves illustration, moving images and poetry. She is interested in questions related to women’s empowerment, sexuality, migration and representation. Her working method is mostly based on experimental and intuitive processes. She graduated with a master’s degree in visual communication from Konstfack in Stockholm and holds a bachelor degree in scenography from The Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo. She is currently studying a research based course about black feminism at The Royal Institute of Arts in Stockholm.
Artist Statement
My artistic practice is a personal expression that examines questions related to women, marginalised communities and the human condition. Through the universal language of images, emotions and words, I attempt to communicate notions of womanhood, femininity, pleasure, liberation and self-esteem. Drawn by my personal experience as a woman growing up in the Arab region (so called Middle East) during my transition into womanhood, haunted by taboos and myths that shape women into a specific persona, I am now exploring a new narrative that I can identify with and that is in alignment with the liberated woman.
I am trying to convey my observations and reflections through different mediums; illustration, video art, collages, poetry, essays, moving images, experimental photography, stop motion animation. The main inspiration behind my work are surrealism and storytelling. My intention is to create common spaces for us, artists and women of the Arab diaspora to connect, share and grow. To create broader echoing voices by acknowledging our frustrations and sorrows, as well as our anticipations and hopes. Within those safe spaces, we are able to challenge societal norms.
In Sweden, where I am currently based, I correspond to a complex dilemma of in-betweenship; POC, immigrant, beside being a woman. This, in turn, motivates me to see my art practice as playing an important role in the Scandinavian art scene, since I have the tools and conditions to express ideologies and thoughts that are otherwise seen as threatening and controversial in my homeland. Although my purpose is not to be a representative of Arab women, I would like my work to mirror what it means to be that woman. A woman of Arab ethnicity and Muslim background, living in the Nordic region. A woman living in the contemporary world with the changing dynamics of beauty standards, gender roles and relationships.
Rana Kadry's residency is supported by Iaspis, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (Konstnärsnämnden) International Program supporting international exchange for practitioners in the areas of visual arts, design, craft, and architecture.
