We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rawan Abbas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rawan below.

Hi Rawan, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’m a visual artist who works primarily with textiles. I don’t have any formal training in the discipline and my shift from painting and drawing on canvas and paper to working with fabrics happened almost organically. I started embroidering on paper which worked quite well for “Pine”, a mixed media installation, but I realized I needed a more durable ground for my embroidered work so I moved onto fabrics. I made tapestries, like “Settled, Together” that brought painting and embroidery together, then works like “Everything” which relies solely on fabrics and embroidery. My progression in the medium is guided by my need to create more elaborate works, and to finesse my visual language and output. I started creating soft sculptures recently which is a whole new approach to designing and constructing. It’s closer to how clothing is constructed which is magnificent because my current body of work involves researching how culture influences self presentation and vice versa -naturally including clothing and garments as one of my interests.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I studied Applied Arts in university in Egypt, and I was set on becoming a traditional painter. I think my calling to become an artist was a common one; make beautiful objects that showcase skill and that are able to intellectually engage my audience. I still want that, but I’m also deeply invested in contributing to meaningful conversations within my community and that has shaped the trajectory of my interests, research, and quality of production. As an emerging artist, I have to seek out opportunities and points of entry to the industry on my own. I get support from other practioners and institutions of course, but I have learned to take initiative and the importance of establishing professional relationships that align with my goals and values. I believe it’s important for artists to realise early on how important the work we do is within the industry. This was one of the most valuable lessons I’ve had to learn -what we do is what drives the arts industry and not the institutions. Realising how much power we have is integral to how we value ourselves, and how we develop our practices. A core belief of mine that I’m lucky to have developed early on in my career is how lucky I am to be able to be an artist. Despite the challenges that come with trying to make a living out of being an artist, it’s a privilege to be able to dedicate the time, effort, and money to the studio practice. This makes me more mindful of my creative choices, putting value and intent behind the pieces I make so my work contributes to the lives of my audience.

Being engaged with my local community -the one that mainly inspires and continues to shape me, has taught me to be more considerate and open. There are many factors that need to be considered such as accessibility to language, to knowledge about art, cultural differences, and financial ability. I make sure to be an active audience by attending workshops, going to local galleries, and engaging other artists in conversations about their practice and mine.

I like to think of my studio practice as part of a long lineage of textile arts and crafts. The medium is attractive in the sense that it’s familiar. Fabrics are all around us and on our bodies. It’s an instant point of entry to my work, and through that familiarity my audience is invited to experience the possibilities of the material, and how much it can speak for and with them. The immediacy of recognizing the texture of the materials my work is made of brings my audiences closer to the work, and by extension closer to me. My work draws from traditional practices such as embroidery and crafts like crocheting for example while introducing new possibilities for how they can be employed, as well as providing a core value of attention to aesthetics. This makes my artworks engaging both visually and conceptually. My artworks are available for sale through local galleries and directly through me, I facilitate printmaking workshops, and I accept commissions as well.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Speaking from an Egyptian context, I think both artists and the rest of society need to see our interactions as a legitimate part of the ecosystem. Art doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s shaped by the artist who is in turn shaped by their lived experience. It might seem like art is a foreign subject to some people, but it really isn’t. There are barriers to be crossed for sure, be it artistic or cultural or other, but there’s space for everyone and there are so many points of connection and entry to understanding art than people might think. Artist mobility and art residencies are a part of an artist’s life so it’s important for audiences to cultivate empathy to be able to connect with art by international practitioners they might deem as an “other” leading a totally different life. Cultivating knowledge about art, and the services it can provide a community is very important. It’s also important to invest in art and its preservation because that showcases the values of society, and creates a legacy for future generations. It’s important to engage artists in conversations, bring them into spaces where art might be scarce and work together to incorporate it into more facets of life.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Cultivating a sense of curiosity, and being open to new experiences and knowledge. The day I stop being curious, and become generally uninterested in connecting with others, is the day my practice loses its value. I’m going to have my first solo exhibition in Cairo, Egypt, in February at Ard Art Institution and I’m quite excited for it. This is very rewarding -being able to share my work with others and starting conversations about our shared values and interests. It gets me out of the studio and situates me directly among my community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rawanabbas.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roabbas_/