Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts Residency - Summer 2023

صنع في أمريكا (Made in USA) questions the constructs of nationalism, borders, pride and home, and the power of creation for healing and transformation. Reflecting on the historical and ongoing violence deeply rooted here, what will we continue to grow and make here? Can we stitch a new tapestry of collective liberation?

The series shares stories of Feda’s upbringing as an Arab and Muslim within a "melting pot" of assimilation, Islamophobia, orientalism, and stereotypes perpetuated by art, politics, and the media. Through a reimagined red, white, and blue color palette, the portraits and still lifes explore the uprooting and replanting of her parents from seeds of war and the blooming of self. They are fashioned using second-hand, handmade and hand-me-down textiles, tools, and objects referencing pop culture elements from SWANA (South West Asian and North African), Levantine, and “American” traditions. The work points to creation as a portal to transformative, sacred, wayfinding, and healing practices of the past, present, and future.

During her residency Feda worked with young artists from the Teen Bridge program to embark on a photographic journey of visual storytelling within the themes of صنع في أمريكا (Made in USA). They crafted self-portraits rooted in their own unique backgrounds as well as portraits of community members. In collaboration with Boston Public Library Community History, they learned how to use BPL Oral History Backpacks to conduct interviews and curated excerpts to complement the portraits. Read more about the artists work around the gallery.

Featuring work by Feda Eid, the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts 2023 Artist in Residence, and Teen Bridge Artists Jacob DePalm, Elian Feliz, Hajar El Ayoubi, Rose Gelin, and Marie Liza Manigat.

Boston Public Library Workshop and Photo Installation Pop Up for  صنع في أمريكا (Made in USA)