Mariam Shaath is a Cairo based Egyptian/Palestinian interdisciplinary artist and Co-Founder, Gallery Manager and Creative Director at Cocoon Cultural Centre. She is also a graphic designer and content creator at Arab Digital Expression Foundation. Shaath has a BA in Fine Arts and Contemporary Philosophy from The University of Leeds, England.
35×45 cm
35×45 cm
35×45 cm
35×45 cm
46×47 cm
Series: “Us”
46×47 cm
Series: “Us”
46×47 cm
Series: “Us”
38×28 cm
46×47 cm
SYNOPSIS OF THE SERIES, “Us”:
“I believe we have created toxic social systems. Some of which are making the earth sick and some are making us sick. Each piece in this triptych represents a fraction of our social system and the ‘medicine’ that perpetuates it. Pepto-Bismol (nausea medicine) is a reflection of our overeating, over-consuming and overindulging 21st century behaviour. Xanax (anxiety medication) is a reflection of our densely populated environments and how we choose to look for the easier faster way of tolerating each-other, rather than find healthy, sustainable ways to deal with anxiety from our fast-paced world. And Finally, Trenbolone (steroids), this piece is a reflection on the unfair human food chain that our destructive lust for power has resulted in. It starts with the patriarchy at the very top, with men always getting the decision-making positions, but it’s also levels of the earth starting with grass, going all the way done to the core, a reflection on power’s never-ending need to feed; just like steroids, which are a poisonous chemical that some men feel the need to inject into their bodies to ‘appear’ physically strong, again with the faster solution and a synthetic unsustainable ‘strength’ to please societal expectations. My message is dark, but my delivery is quite colourful and playful, this is to add some humor to the message and to shed light on the fact that just like some medicines and norms can cause sickness, colors can cause darkness.”
