IBRAHIM ALI-SALAAM
b. 1976 Boston, MA, USA
ARTIST STATEMENT
My inspiration comes mainly from the world I see around me, and what I see in the mirror. My art tends to focus on the human form. Yet, despite this seeming to be “traditional” and “uncontroversial” subject matter for an artist, it was a source of continuous tension at home in my younger years as I was born into a Muslim family.
While I no longer consider myself a Muslim, this foray into controversy or inquiry with my artwork was only the first of many such instances. Over the years, I have completed a series of nude self-portraits. These have always come out of a period of transition in my life. Usually, I produced them when I wanted to take a closer look at myself in that time, but also wanted to challenge myself in my work. The positioning of my arms in such images are incredibly important. Viewers may note that I often seem to be pushing against invisible boundaries, or struggling against invisible restraints. I also enjoy drawing the hands of the figures to represent this struggle as well, or simply drawing hands on their own giving a particular message to the viewers. This imagery is representative of how I often feel pushing against the boundaries of society – living in a culture that wants to classify me. For example, it wants to define me as a certain race, whereas I do not classify myself. It wants to classify me as a certain sexual orientation as well, based on the subject matter of my work, whereas my personal sexuality remains irrelevant.
I am currently working on a “body parts” series focusing on smaller aspects of the human form. Part of it has been a study into the hand. For this series, I initially was inspired by looking at my hands after working on some of my charcoal drawings. I like looking at the shape of hands and how they work. They are so complex and important to our experience – think of the opposable thumb and all that it has managed to help humanity accomplish during our evolution.
This series is ongoing, but I also take on commissions by both individuals and groups such as The Boston Ballet and draw portraits of my beloved son at the same time.
CURRICULUM VITAE
2001 B.F.A. School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Selected Group Shows
2019
“Modern Tablescapes Exhibition”, Il Décor, Boston, MA
"Fellows Fanfare", Saint Botolph Club, Boston, MA
2018
"Body Remember - An Exhibition of Male Nudes", A R E A Gallery, Boston, MA
2017
"Bodies in Motion", Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston, MA
2014
"Violence Transformed", Simon's Malls Copley Mall, Boston, MA 2014
2013
“02127/02210” Medicine Wheel Productions – Spoke Gallery, Boston, MA
2012
“Committee’s Choice: Beyond Boundaries”, St. Botolph Club, Boston, MA
2011
Hancock 309 Gallery, Boston MA
2010
“United South End Artists group show”, OKW boutique and Gallery,
2009
“Mind is a Beautiful Beast”, OKW Boutique & Gallery
“Mind is a Beautiful Beast”, Medicine Wheel Gallery
2008
“Fire Gallery”, Brooks Colbert Group LLC, Fort Washington, Maryland
“Inside Out”, Holiday Show, SMFA, Boston, MA
Selected Solo Shows
2019
"New Hands", Piano Craft Gallery, Boston, MA
2015
St. Botolph Club, Boston, MA
Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church, Boston, MA
2014
The Salon @ 10 Newbury Street, New Paintings, Boston, MA
AU-Gold Gallery, Boston, MA
2011
The Gallery at the Piano Factory Boston, MA
2010
Brooks Colbert Group LLC, Fort Washington, Maryland
2008
OKW Boutique & Gallery, Boston, MA
2007
Sweet Finnish Space, Boston, MA
2004
Kinghorn-Wesley Open House, Cincinnati, Ohio
Curatorial Experience
“Of Two Places” Beacon Gallery, 2019
“United South End Artists Small Works show”, OKW boutique and Gallery, 2013
“United South End Artists group show”, OKW boutique and Gallery, 2011
“United South End Artists group show”, OKW boutique and Gallery, 2010
“Mind is a Beautiful Beast”, OKW boutique and Gallery, 2009
“Then and Now, Again”, OKW boutique and Gallery, 2007
Publications
“Bodies in Motion”, Artscope Magazine, Nov./Dec 2011
Collections
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Frontier Science, Boston, MA
Private Collection, Dallas, TX
Private Collection, Cincinnati, OH
Private Collections, Massachusetts
Private Collections, New Hampshire
Private Collection, New York, NY
Private Collection, San Francisco, CA
Private Collection, South Bend, IN
Private Collection, Topsham, ME
Spalding Rehab, Boston, MA
Whittier Street Health Center, Boston, MA