Urban Perspectives

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May 4, 2025

Overview

Rim Albahrani (b. 1995) is a Swedish-Iraqi artist born in Amman, Jordan, and is currently based in New York. From the early stages of her life, she was set on a vagabond path. Having lived with her family in Yemen, Sweden, Qatar, and The United Kingdom, she was exposed to different cultures that shaped her ideas and personality. Introduced to art in her formative years, Albahrani received her undergraduate degree in Art History in 2019, followed by a graduate degree specializing in Modern and Contemporary Art in 2020. Her artistic influences are derived from these diverse life experiences, prompting her to question the meaning of home in the face of a diasporic existence.

Through her paintings and sculptures, Albharani explores preconceived notions of identity while challenging the socially constructed concept of ‘home as identity.’ The various shapes and arrangements of houses in her artwork act as symbols that redress the notion that our identities are predetermined and settled. In her artistic practice, Albahrani employs a multitude of techniques and mediums. Her abstract depictions of cities and houses continue to challenge the discourse of belonging and ‘un-belonging’ in the ever-evolving definition of home.

From the series “House to House”

In my exploration of diasporic imagination, “home” emerges as fundamental, encompassing temporal, spatial, and psychological dimensions. This led me to explore imaginary dwellings, creative manifestations of longing, aspiration, and memory within the diaspora, providing insight into the world of dislocated individuals. My series, ‘House to House,’ navigates through the layers of the diasporic journey, each sculpture reflecting the perpetual quest for belonging while questioning the dichotomy of ‘here or there’ in an ambiguous world.

From my travels across the world, I draw upon the personal memories each house holds, weaving personal stories. The series reflects on the impermanence inherent in diasporic experiences, acknowledging nostalgic attachments in new, unfamiliar places. Delving into temporal and existential dwellings, I am reminded of the complexity of identity and the evolving nature of belonging. I capture houses’ structure and emotional landscapes through architectural yet imagined spaces, extending diasporic identity beyond traditional notions of place

Rim Albahrani 2024