Ghada Amer is an Egyptian painter, sculptor, and installation artist whose work addresses the issues of femininity, sexuality, and gender roles. Creatively she customizes ideas and symbols of religious fundamentalism and cultural identity via unique paintings and sculptures that illustrate her wide and varied talents. Ghada began her artistic training in Nice, France. As a student in the BFA and MFA programs of Villa Arson, Amer was excluded from painting classes because they were reserved for male students only. Refusing this narrative, she pursued an exciting career that continues to break boundaries. She injects a unique perspective on art, using different mediums to redefine what it means to be an artist. Ghada Amer now lives and works in New York City. We’re happy to feature her on Occhi Magazine.
How and when did you fully embrace art as a chosen field and career path?
After I finished high school and after a severe depression (I was about 17 or 18 years old)
How and why do you work in your chosen mediums?
I work with different mediums: painting, sculpture, drawings, and gardens. Each medium feeds one another. I work with them sometimes at the same time. Going from drawings to paintings to sculpture and gardens. I have been mostly known for my embroidered paintings and I chose embroidery because, while studying in the South of France in the 80s, I was forbidden to take painting classes because I was a woman. This led me to think that painting is a male medium and I introduced the embroidery as a revolt and a refusal to use only painting.
Regarding my outdoor works (that I call Garden) I started to work outdoor since 1997, so quite early in my career. I wanted to find a parallel between women work inside (embroidery) and women works outside (gardening)
I wanted to explore how gender and sexuality have shaped your work and is it influenced by public opinion.
I am not shaped by what others think of sexuality or think of me doing the work I do. I do this for my self. Having been brought up in a religious family, not as strict as people sometimes write on me, sexuality is of course taboo in all religious households no matter which religion. Being a woman as well added to me tackling this subject, to understand it, and to demystify it. I did not want to accept my fate as a woman.
To what extent has your heritage and exposure to different cultures influenced your approach to developing projects or themes of work?
I think my exposure to different cultures made me aware that the differences between them are negligible and if they were not I was able to swim between all of them. I can take some distance back and look at them from afar which is the best way to criticize
What importance should be placed on the visual arts and role of artists in modern society?
For me, art has saved my life and made me free from modern slavery of every day 8 to 5 job. I do not know what role it plays in modern society. I think in all society artists have ALWAYS played the role of visionaries or magicians. It made life a little bit more bearable!
What is your biggest challenge as a visual artist?
To survive! The biggest challenge is to survive as an artist and to be able to sell enough work so that you can only focus on your art. There are other challenges: being a woman, not being a white male artist. These are big challenges.
An artist is always developing and, hopefully improving their artistry with age. What advice would you give to young artists embarking on their careers?
My advice is: LONG IS THE ROAD. It is okay if no one does not understand you! Normally, you are rejected. Remember you are a visionary.
Many boutique galleries and artists are focusing on digital platforms to engage audiences, particularly after the pandemic. Do you think the way the public engages with art has irreversibly changed?
No, I do not think so. I have not believed in the digital platform for a long time. It is quite boring. The beauty of a painting has to be EXPERIENCED in real life. You cannot replace studio visits. The only good thing that has happened is that it stopped these art fairs for a while. Everyone knows before COVID that it was the end of fairs. Now they have to invent a new model..but it will not be digital.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on new paintings without embroidery… Portraits of women I know
Where can our readers find out more about you?
You can go to my website: www.ghadaamer.com
Boesky gallery: https://www.marianneboeskygallery.com/
Kewenig Gallery: https://kewenig.com/
Goodman Gallery: https://www.goodman-gallery.com/
Photo Credit: Arts/Industry, photographer Scott Seifert.
Images Courtesy of the artist and Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, and Aspen.
- Love Grave, 2003 – 2020(Edition of 3)(GHA.16585)
Photo: Ian Edquist Copyright: © Ghada Amer - Paravent Avec Amour, 2015 Ceramic 23 1/2 x 34 1/2 x 11 in 59.7 x 87.6 x 27.9 cm (GHA.16475)
Photo: Christopher Burke Studio - Baisers #1, 2011-12 Bronze with blue patina 21 1/2 x 20 x 17 in 54.61 x 50.8 x 43.18 cm (Edition of 6) (GHA.16391)
Photo: Lance Brewer Copyright: © Ghada Amer Courtesy of the artist and Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, and Aspen. - Today 70% of the Poor in the World are Women, 2000 – 2020 Dimensions variable (Edition of 3) (GHA.16586)
Photo: Clara Garau
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