Syrian-American illustrator and designer Rama Duwaji has been thrust into the spotlight.
Based in New York City, she is known for her black-and-white drawings of women, in which she uses expressive line work to explore themes such as sisterhood, Arab identity, shared experiences and political resistance.
Even if you're unfamiliar with her art, her name might still ring a bell – Duwaji is married to Zohran Mamdani, who recently made headlines with his surprise win in the Democratic primary for the New York mayoral race. However, as Mamdani posted on social media after they married earlier this year: “Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
`Duwaji frequently depicts women of colour, focusing on their individuality, beauty and the nuances of their experiences. She uses her platform to create visual narratives that address current events and advocate for marginalised communities, particularly in the Arab world.
She has been vocal about her support for Palestine, for instance. In 2021, she shared an image showing three people standing together, joining elbows firmly. The words “we won't leave” are written across the piece in Arabic.
“In solidarity with Palestine and the families of Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood who are facing displacement from their own homes, a literal ethnic cleansing,” she captioned the post.
Last month, Duwaji shared an illustration about the ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza. “As I was making this, Israel has been bombing Gaza nonstop with successive airstrikes. Keep your eyes on Gaza and support @goprojecthope,” she said.
Duwaji’s work has been featured in major international outlets, such as The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, Vice and the Tate Modern. She has exhibited solo shows in Virginia and Beirut, and her portfolio includes editorial illustrations, screen prints, children’s illustrations and graphic novels.
She also makes her own ceramics – particularly illustrated plates in blue and white. During the Covid pandemic, she spent the majority of her time with her family in Dubai before moving to the US.
“I had wanted to move to New York pre-pandemic, so at some point, I finally moved. It was before vaccines were a thing, and I was in a new city where I didn't know as many people,” she told Yung magazine in 2022.
“I was trying to create a community when people weren’t being very social. I just started messaging cool creatives I knew from Instagram. And people are actually pretty open to meeting new people here. There’s nothing to lose. I’ve met a lot of great Arab-American artists that way.”
