Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ali El-Chaer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Ali thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

Often times when I am making work it ties back to my Palestinian heritage and so my audience then becomes other Palestinians living in diaspora or under the occupation. As an artist I do not have an interest in making work for every audience but instead want to focus on my people. One of the most common misunderstandings I have from people comes from outsiders or people who know very little about Palestine. I have often had people look at my work and tell me “well this makes me feel this way and I don’t like it,” and that is okay but the work is not for everyone. From these interactions all I can do as a creative is accept that not everyone is ready to feel the way I feel or understand how it feels to be Palestinian but I know when it reaches its target audience that it is always met with appreciation. As creatives it’s okay for us to make work purely for our people or ourselves and it is okay to be a little selfish with it as long as we are satisfied.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I was actually not very interested in art until I was a teenager because like most people I was watching anime. School was never my strongest attribute but to make my family happy I went to college and received my bachelors in fine arts. From there I learned I actually only enjoy drawing for myself but had new ways to express my ideas.

I do not make my income from taking commissions, however, and instead make most from selling prints or original works. If you are an artist who makes work that is impractical for the average person to have in their house because of size or it is just such a specific type of work, I have found my sales have come from documenting them and selling as prints or postcards.

I want potential buyers to know I go to stores or spaces that collect paper or other items that will be thrown away for my work. I very rarely buy anything new, even the mail I send out I am recycling old envelopes. I believe in showing others how we can reuse or recycle and very much want to show new artists how they can thrive with limited income. I would never want to make someone feel that my practice is unattainable to them because lack of funds and I will always show people my process if asked. We are a community and I want to see everyone happy.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want my art to push others towards collective liberation and new ways of thinking. My work is based heavily around research so I read A LOT and I enjoy it. If you want my advice: get a library card. You can get access to books, music, movies, etc. and in this age there are very little government programs that help people. Take advantage of it.

My ultimate goal is to show people how to ask their own questions, show them how to find resources that work for them, and most importantly teach compassion for others.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

That you have to say yes to major institutions. When starting out we push artists to say yes to everything. You really don’t and shouldn’t and sometimes you do need to pull out of exhibitions if they are hurting you.

For example, I was to show at a major university this year but because I was not being treated with respect by the director I pulled out the exhibition. This was a very clear boundary I had let them know; you want my work I will work on these conditions that you give me space to create but if I have no space to actually make my work then I will leave.

The work I was making was a memorial with direct requests from loved one’s their family’s photos were shown in a specific way. I needed that space to make it happen. No show is worth compromising your morals. As much as it is an honor to show in any space, it is equally honor for them to have your work shown.

Contact Info:

• Website: Alielchaer.com
• Instagram: Alielchaer_
• Twitter: Alielchaer_