Authentic Moroccan Subjects

Essaydi’s experiences as both a North African and Western artist have shaped her perspectives in a different way than would be the experience of an artist from a single culture. “In a sense, I feel I inhabit (and perhaps even embody) a ‘crossroads,’ where the cultures come together—merge, interweave, and sometimes clash”.[1]  Essaydi is able to use elements of both Western and Arab culture in her work, fusing them together to create something unique. The artist shares with global audiences her images commenting on the lives of Arab women in her country.

Working in the United States presents certain challenges to the artist. When in her New York or Boston studios, Essaydi speaks about not having easy access to Moroccan subjects to portray in her work while in her home country she can call upon family and friends to readily serve as models. In American and European contexts, Essaydi also faces the challenge of the West’s misconceptions about Arab culture and Islamic traditions. Orientalist nineteenth century art works were one of the earliest manifestations of this skewed understanding of Essaydi’s cultural background.  The image of the Arab woman and especially pushing back against the western (male) expectation of her service as a subject of sexual desire is central to Essaydi’s work.