Fadwa Al Qasem bio
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Short version: Palestinian-Canadian woman with a gypsy's spirit living in Calp, Costa Blanca of Spain. I hold a B.A in English Literature (UK) and two Art Therapy Certificates (USA). Mixed media artist who participated in several exhibitions, and bilingual author of four collections of short stories, contributions to three anthologies, an artbook, and book covers. Creator of I Am What I Art Manifesto. |
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Artist Statement
“I came into this world only to find myself a female, a Muslim, a Palestinian. An estranged, emigrant, refugee, searching for a belonging that will accept me.”
Fadwa Al Qasem is a mixed media artist and bilingual author with four books under her belt.
As a Palestinian with Canadian citizenship, Fadwa’s art is deeply influenced by the complex narratives of identity, belonging, resistance, and resilience that define what it means to be human. Her art delves into themes of human rights, identity, immigration, and the critique of historical injustices, with a particular focus on the intersection of women, culture, religion, and the body.
Fadwa’s work is an exploration of the contrasts between joy, play, freedom, and the more somber themes of the future of humanity, in an attempt to balance hope with urgency.
Through visual narratives, installations, poetry performances, and mixed media, her work thoughtfully explores how these elements shape our understanding of self and society, casting a critical eye on how feminine identity is constructed and perceived across different cultural and religious contexts, reflecting both personal and collective stories as a critique of the present and a hopeful gaze into the future.
Fadwa seeks to continually find ways to weave together these myriad themes into a cohesive narrative, to create art as a space for reflection, connection, and a dialogue that resonates with an audience willing to search and question. Her work is an invitation to journey through the complexities of human experience, guided by the belief in art's power to inspire change, illuminate, and heal. Fadwa’s work is a call to action.
As Author
2005: Published first collection of short stories in Arabic entitled The Scent of Cardamom.
2011: Published Paradise No More (Arabic)
2015: Published Paradise No More (English)
Two short story anthologies in English (In Our Own Words and Madinah) and one poetry anthology (And We Choose Everything).
A World of Artist Journal Pages was published in the USA and it includes my work as a featured artist.
2014 and 2015: Participated in the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature, Dubai, UAE.
Currently working on my first novel.
Short stories in Arabic published in Akhbar Al Adab, weekly literary newspaper, Cairo, Egypt; Al Adab Magazine, Literary Magazine, Beirut, Lebanon; Literary Supplement of Al Bayan Newspaper, UAE; Al Quds newspaper, Jerusalem, Palestine; Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper, London, UK; An-Nahar newspaper, Lebanon.
As Artist:
Exhibitions
Casa del Arte, Palma, Majorca, Spain (Dec 2023)
Andie Art Gallery, Greece (Dec 2023)
RedDot Miami, USA (Dec 2023)
Small Format Exhibition, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (Dec 2023)
My Art, My Voice, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (Nov 2023)
Swiss Art Expo, Zurich 5.0, Switzerland (July 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (July 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (June 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (July 2022)
Don't Become Your Belongings Installation - Public Parks in Dubai, UAE
Group exhibition, Gharhood, Dubai, UAE
Solo Exhibition, Gharhood, Dubai, UAE
The Tenderness Journals exhibited at The Workshop, Dubai, UAE
Sheik Khalifa Al Nahyan Art Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE
“I came into this world only to find myself a female, a Muslim, a Palestinian. An estranged, emigrant, refugee, searching for a belonging that will accept me.”
Fadwa Al Qasem is a mixed media artist and bilingual author with four books under her belt.
As a Palestinian with Canadian citizenship, Fadwa’s art is deeply influenced by the complex narratives of identity, belonging, resistance, and resilience that define what it means to be human. Her art delves into themes of human rights, identity, immigration, and the critique of historical injustices, with a particular focus on the intersection of women, culture, religion, and the body.
Fadwa’s work is an exploration of the contrasts between joy, play, freedom, and the more somber themes of the future of humanity, in an attempt to balance hope with urgency.
Through visual narratives, installations, poetry performances, and mixed media, her work thoughtfully explores how these elements shape our understanding of self and society, casting a critical eye on how feminine identity is constructed and perceived across different cultural and religious contexts, reflecting both personal and collective stories as a critique of the present and a hopeful gaze into the future.
Fadwa seeks to continually find ways to weave together these myriad themes into a cohesive narrative, to create art as a space for reflection, connection, and a dialogue that resonates with an audience willing to search and question. Her work is an invitation to journey through the complexities of human experience, guided by the belief in art's power to inspire change, illuminate, and heal. Fadwa’s work is a call to action.
As Author
2005: Published first collection of short stories in Arabic entitled The Scent of Cardamom.
2011: Published Paradise No More (Arabic)
2015: Published Paradise No More (English)
Two short story anthologies in English (In Our Own Words and Madinah) and one poetry anthology (And We Choose Everything).
A World of Artist Journal Pages was published in the USA and it includes my work as a featured artist.
2014 and 2015: Participated in the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature, Dubai, UAE.
Currently working on my first novel.
Short stories in Arabic published in Akhbar Al Adab, weekly literary newspaper, Cairo, Egypt; Al Adab Magazine, Literary Magazine, Beirut, Lebanon; Literary Supplement of Al Bayan Newspaper, UAE; Al Quds newspaper, Jerusalem, Palestine; Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper, London, UK; An-Nahar newspaper, Lebanon.
As Artist:
Exhibitions
Casa del Arte, Palma, Majorca, Spain (Dec 2023)
Andie Art Gallery, Greece (Dec 2023)
RedDot Miami, USA (Dec 2023)
Small Format Exhibition, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (Dec 2023)
My Art, My Voice, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (Nov 2023)
Swiss Art Expo, Zurich 5.0, Switzerland (July 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (July 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (June 2023)
Summer Art Festival, Gallery Albir, Alicante, Spain (July 2022)
Don't Become Your Belongings Installation - Public Parks in Dubai, UAE
Group exhibition, Gharhood, Dubai, UAE
Solo Exhibition, Gharhood, Dubai, UAE
The Tenderness Journals exhibited at The Workshop, Dubai, UAE
Sheik Khalifa Al Nahyan Art Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE
In the autumn of 2013, I created an art installation called Don't Become Your Belongings. The idea was to install clothes around a public park to look like empty shells, meaningless, but ready to be taken by anyone who needs them. Because part of the installation was for people to take part by taking whatever clothes or toys they need, there is no benevolent giver and no poor taker. It's easy to give and take. It was a great success and no items remained at the end of the day!
My values
To me, PLAY means creating opportunities for joyful and playful explorations and experiences, and liberated expressions of creativity, spontaneity, and delight that nourish the spirit and celebrate the joyous essence of being. |
FREEDOM to choose. To be as we want to be. To be safe and secure. To be able to express our thoughts, ideas and feelings without fear or limitation. To have access to education, health, and independent financial security. To not face gender discrimination and sexism in all aspects of life. |
CONNECTION is important. It’s about solidarity, empathy, and encouragement. Creating a network that empowers women to thrive, individually and collectively advancing towards shared goals, and making a positive impact on the world around us.INSPIRATION; we need these sparks that ignite a fire within us, propelling big dreams, belief in our capabilities, and fearless pursuit of creative passions. It is the powerful force that drives positive change, fuels creativity, and empowers women to lead purposeful lives, leaving a lasting impact on themselves, their communities, and the world. |
I believe that STRENGTH is the continuous practice of building resilience to help us overcome challenges, societal expectations and cultural limitations, to fearlessly embrace our own values and pave a life that is true to our own spirit. |
