Sama Alshaibi: Silsila, 2013

Sama Alshaibi: Sand Rushes In, the first book by this rising artist, presents work from Silsila, a video and photographic installation that premiered at the 2013 Venice Biennale, as well as other series. Alshaibi’s lyrical multimedia work explores the landscape of conflict: the ongoing competition for land, resources, and power in North Africa and West Asia and the internal battle for control between fear and fearlessness. Additional material, selected from the artist’s series Negative’s Capable Hands, Collapse, and Thowra is presented in the context of Silsila, meaning “chain” or “link” in Arabic. The artist uses the desert, borders, and bodies as overarching symbols of the Arab-speaking world's geopolitical and environmental issues and histories.

Alshaibi operates between the United States, western Asia, and North Africa. Much of her work is inspired by and shot onsite in distinct natural landscapes, from the Western Sahara of North Africa to the eastern Arabian Desert on the edges of Iraq—highlighting the jarring contrast between desert and fertile oasis. Alshaibi is often a protagonist in her work, taking on the guise of distinct yet interrelated characters.

Each limited-edition print is hand-packed with great care and ships from New York within 3–5 days.