Bringing ‘metaphors’ to its gallery, al markhiya is putting up a showcase of multi-talented Palestinian-American artist Manal Deeb’s artwork at Katara Art Centre (KAC) this week.
The exhibition of Deeb’s artworks presents visual metaphors for identity. Each of the exhibited artworks is a visual representation of a poem. “Metaphors” of written words became visual metaphors of memories.
It will showcase Manal’s use of mixed media and layering techniques, which became an imperative way for her in emphasising creativity in reflecting on a continuous conversation with life. For her, art became a way of responding to life’s changes and challenges.
Manal used creation of art as a way to complete, identify and express her journey as an Arab American female living away from home, a daughter, a mother and an artist.
“Manal Deeb’s own countenance appears in nearly all of her artwork…but it’s hard to distinguish it. The Palestinian-bred Fairfax artist superimposes photographs, calligraphy and fabric patterns on her face, constructing a visual metaphor for how women’s identities are overlaid with societal expectations and political circumstances…paintings that blend realism and abstraction,” wrote Mark Jenkins of Washington Post about the artist in March 2015.
Manal, the Palestinian-American artist was born in 1968 in Ramallah, Palestine, and moved to the United States in 1986. Her goal is to bring her Palestinian heritage to speak across times and places. Her work is adapted from the history and presence of Palestine.
Manal’s work reflects issues of identity and memory, issues that for her are so pertinent in recollecting her Palestinian origin. She uses textured surfaces to convey memory’s persistence and perseverance.
In some cases, by incorporating words from the Qur’an, Manal is trying to capture the wisdom and power of the verses in order to communicate their imaginative energy.
She has had many solo and group exhibits in New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco and Washington DC. Manal studied Studio Arts at the University of Illinois in Chicago, and got her Bachelor Degree in Psychology of Art from George Mason University in Virginia. 
One of Manal’s cover paintings has also inspired words and music for Fix Me Deeper, a musical collaboration of art, music and emotion between Genre Peak and Manal Deeb.
The song presents a narrative of survival in the modern world through faith and grit. Manal has written the Arabic lyrics, while her spoken Arabic serves the context of the nature of the song composition, to “fix oneself deeper inside through the divulging in each one of us may have had or may have to endure,” she writes.
The two well-experienced artists in their respective fields bring intense originality. Martin Birke of Genre Peak is an electronic-percussionist and composer whose background includes independent filmscore, many recordings with various groups, a former composer for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theadive and Complexions Ballet Co.
Martin’s dark and cinematic scoring ability with heavily layered percussive and synthscapes seems to work well with Manal’s emotionally charged visuals, paintings and multimedia work.
Richard Barbieri was invited to create an alternative version with dynamic shifts that add even more intensity to the idea. The 3rd and 4th tracks are Martin’s electronic percussion pieces done earlier this year.