Mihrab: Portraits of Arab American Women | Hend Al-Mansour

For her exhibition, Al-Mansour has created four structures that embody the Arabic heritage, memories, and unique personalities of four Minnesotan women. The artist spent hours interviewing each of the four women before she began creating the structures. Titled My Pink House, Morning of Damascus, Living Threads, and Blue Roots each serve as a tribute to and a portrait of faith and resiliency.

The four works are part of a larger series titled Mihrab. Inspired by the architectural niche found in mosques, Al-Mansour drew, printed, and sculpted contained spaces that are filled with prayer rugs, side tables, and life-size portraits. The artist invites you to take a peek inside. To notice not only the combination of domes, pillars, and arches, but also the patterns and colors that reference the four different heritages of these four Arab-American women—Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco, and Palestine.