Throughout this month, The Modern East has taken the initiative of showcasing some of the most talented Arab artists out there. From paintings and drawings to illustrations and photography, we are so excited to display these incredible artists, for your enjoyment.

To so many of us, art goes way past surface level beauty. It is a language that goes beyond words, an inexhaustible source of human expression, connectivity and passion. To so many, art is where understanding and peace is found; be it the artist or the consumer. No matter the medium, art tells stories, elicits emotions from deep within us and allows us to connect in ways that surpasses what we’ve previously thought to be the height of human connection.

There are so many wonderful artists born and bred within the Arab community; artists that we believe deserve to be highlighted and appreciated. There really is no better feeling than a reflection of your community in the art you consume.

Shahad Nazer

The artist we’re excited to introduce to you today is Shahad Nazer, a 24 year old Saudi/Egyptian collage artist. Someone we’ve had the pleasure of speaking to, allowing us to gain an intimate view of her journey, as well as her relationship with art.

Shahad inherited her passion for the arts from her artist parents, beginning her journey at the ripe age of 10 years old. She spent a lot of her time developing her skills through pencil sketching, and in 2017 made the venture into digital art. There, the collage artist we know and love was born.

This, for her, was really a deployment into the ultimate human expression; where she found her place as an artist. Collage art quickly became her favorite source of self-proclamation.

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Escaping reality. 📖🌻#photoshop #ps_eerie

A post shared by Shahad Nazer | شهَدْ ناظِر 𓆉 (@shahad.nazer) on Oct 19, 2018 at 6:13am PDT

Shahad told us “I think I would describe my art as dreamy, emotional, and empowering.” Her work varies between incredibly imaginative, dreamy pieces to others that are emotional and powerful. She says “almost every artwork has a story or a message behind it that I’m trying to convey. Especially the ones that tackle societal issues or the ones empowering women”.

Shahad continuously uses her art and her platform to empower women as well as shed light on mental health issues.

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متى تتزوجي؟ متى نفرح فيكي؟ متى تخلفي؟ متى تتخرجي؟ متى تشتغلي؟ ليش لابسة كدا؟ تعرفي تطبخي ولا لسة؟ | أسئلة سمعناها كتير وتتكرر علينا من مجتمعنا يوم بعد يوم والأغلبية مننا ما نحب نسمعها. When are you getting married? When are you having kids? Do you know how to cook or not yet? Why are you wearing this? When are you graduating? When are you going to find a job? Questions mostly asked by society that most of us hate to hear. Sign says: When are these questions going to stop.

A post shared by Shahad Nazer | شهَدْ ناظِر 𓆉 (@shahad.nazer) on Feb 7, 2020 at 6:20am PST

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BRAIN WORLD | عالم الدماغ 🧠 The concept of this artwork is to show the beauty, and the ugly side of our brain. It's a whole world of its own, yet exists in this small space in our skulls. Please zoom in for details! . . الفكرة من هذا العمل ان يوضح الناحية الجميلة من عقل الانسان والناحية البشعة، او السلبية. كأنه عالم ثاني تماما وموجود في هذي المساحة الصغيرة اللي في جمجمتنا.. (سووا زوم للتفاصيل) #collageart #digitalcollage #surreal42

A post shared by Shahad Nazer | شهَدْ ناظِر 𓆉 (@shahad.nazer) on Apr 18, 2019 at 8:34am PDT

“My journey has been really amazing so far,” she says, “I’ve had my art featured at galleries in Belgium, Turkey, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London”. The Saudi Arabia based artist has even participated in a US charity auction to help raise money for refugees.

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Stumbled upon this place by accident and it was breathtaking! ♥️ #austria

A post shared by Shahad Nazer | شهَدْ ناظِر 𓆉 (@shahad.nazer) on Aug 28, 2019 at 9:22am PDT

“Being able to express my feelings and translating my unspoken thoughts into an artwork means a lot to me, especially when it touches people’s emotions as well, it means I’m doing something good, I’m leaving a mark in my society. I may be a tiny human, but my dreams are bigger than the sun, moon, and stars combined.”

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Through my cracks and broken pieces; I still grew, I still bloomed, I still flourished. (Inspired by my story with Anxiety) don't be ashamed of your battle scars, they're a reminder of how much you've grown and evolved since then. 🌻✨ #collage #digitalart #anxiety #worldsmentalhealthday

A post shared by Shahad Nazer | شهَدْ ناظِر 𓆉 (@shahad.nazer) on Sep 24, 2019 at 8:47am PDT

We really hope Shahad’s art made you feel something. Make sure to check her out on Instagram!