Narmeen Hamadeh
About The Artist
Narmeen Hamadeh is a Palestinian Illustrator living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AnInterior Architect by trade, she obtained a Masters Degree in Interior Design and Living from the prestigious Domus Academy, Milan 2016. Living between Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Italy has enriched her design thinking and allowed for a deeper exploration of culture and character.
During this time of activism in solitude, she has sought out connection through portraiture and patriotism. As a Palestinian woman, she places deep importance in the Arab footprint, emphasizing her heritage in a sometimes ‘hiding in plain sight’ approach. Her work is enthusiastic, steeped in cultural resilience, painting an honest story of what it is like to be a political body. Her debut collection of illustrations, titled “Peculiarity: the state of being odd”, truthfully depicts the joy and warmth of absurdity. Narmeen waves heritage seamlessly between character studies and classic symbols, capturing the essence of Palestinian resistance, stitching together a story that reminds one of the beauty that still exists in this world.
Question
How did you get started with creating art?
I started officially creating art 2018. I mean I always created art in someway . I’ve been creative since childhood, thankfully my mom knew how to nourish my creativity by making me try different art mediums. By profession I am an interior architect with masters in interior design, but I always believe that creativity should not be limited by profession. I always been adventurous in my creative journey. At one moment in 2017 I reached a frustration point with design, that was the moment I started illustrating. My illustrations subject were simple in the beginning, I wanted to create characters with a lot of quirkiness. which lead to illustrating vegetables and food items each one with so much character and red lips. Creating these characters lead to me creating “Old Man Hummus” the story of hummus from a Palestinian perspective. Here I realised that digital illustration can be my voice as a Palestinian.
Question
How would you describe your artistic style? Has it changed?
My artistic style is a composition of random (not so random) colour combinations that I spend hours selecting. Plus, my signature modernised Palestinian embroidery patterns which you will find in all my artworks. Its colourful and pretty, until the viewer read my captions on Instagram and discover that the story is much deeper, which I consider a huge part of my artwork. In my artwork I try to be free of what I think it should look like, and rather to focus on what feels right to me. Technically speaking its digital drawing on my iPad using Procreate APP. My artistic changed a lot, its definitely much bolder and more detailed now.
Question
Where do you usually find inspiration for your works?
My work is emotionally generated art work. Its always an action to reaction. My inspiration is fuelled by the stories I heard from my grandparents from the days they lived in Palestine, strong women, unjust events in the world, my own experiences, and Palestine. I consider my main inspiration is Palestine, and being a third generation Palestinian refugee its my main drive. It’s a form of modern day revolution. It’s a combination of beauty and melancholy all mixed together to create an artwork that is vibrant with colour and hopeful.
Question
What do you hope your audience will get from your work?
My artwork is an embodiment of my feelings. I am the happiest when people share their stories after seeing my artwork, because this means they relate and in away I made them feel seen. I hope they learn more about our culture on a human level since I do have non Arabs on my Instagram. I hope Palestinians and Arabs in diaspora will connect to their roots through my art, and encourage them to participate in telling our story to the world and archive it for future generations. Lastly and simply an artwork that will make them smile.