My work is a study of misconceptions – of how an everyday object or design can be given new meaning or made to produce new connotations based on external factors.

This piece is based on a motif found widely within the Arabic as well as the Islamic world. It is commonly used in the everyday life of Arab society – in attire, prayer and so on. However, in the wake of recent events this nationalistic motif has gained notoriety and arouses distrust, especially in the Western world. It is interesting to observe how a simple everyday object or design can take on such negative associations.
I have sought to express the two extremes that are associated with this motif. One of war and the other of peace. My work is a study of misconceptions – of how an every-day object or design can be given new meaning or made to produce new connotations based on external factors. It has come to assume a symbolism that was not intended, but determined by social and political factors instead.