16”x12”; specialty papers, African wax fabric, faux flowers, ink on paper; 2021. Courtesy of the artist.
FROM KOLAJ 33
Rashad Ali Muhammad’s Artist Portfolio
“At the core of my art practice, my mission is to empower and uplift the African diasporic identity,” writes Rashad Ali Muhammad. “I want to reveal the power bestowed upon this group of people by their collective ancestors, in a way that negates contemporary social stereotypes.” “Under the Sun” is a series of collage works where Black figures are adorned and embellished with fragments of flower petals, African textiles, batiks, and glitter. The man in No. 2 stares at the viewer with blue glitter eyes. Concentric halos form around his head. He is swaddled in blue ankara. He is god-like in his power.
A portfolio of Rashad Ali Muhammad’s work appears in Kolaj 33. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
16″x12″; specialty papers, African wax fabric, faux flowers, acrylic paint, glitter glue on paper; 2021. Courtesy of the artist.
“Collage is a visual feast that viewers should take their time to digest. It fuses diverse repurposed pieces, each with a distinct meaning that is combined to create new connections and meanings that captivate and engage the mind,” writes the artist.
A portfolio of Rashad Ali Muhammad’s work appears in Kolaj 33. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
Rashad Ali Muhammad lives and works in the Washington, DC area. Besides showing work in numerous group exhibitions in the DC area and beyond, the artist has had two solo exhibitions, at Distinctly Creative in Brentwood, Maryland in 2017 and at the Anacostia Arts Center & The Hive in Washington, DC in 2018. His work was awarded Best In Show in the 2021 “March Line by Line” exhibit at The Art League. In 2018 and 2020, he received commissions for the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation’s Traffic Box Art Wrap Public Art Program. His work has appeared in ArtAscent: Art & Literature Journal, American University Magazine, and The Sentinel, among others. Learn more at www.ramcreates.com.