Soundtrack to Puzzled Identities is an audiovisual project aiming to address the entangled identity of diaspora Arabs, through a series of music-themed, pop art derived digital illustrations accompanied with musical mashups.
From Umm Kulthum to Mashrou’ Leila, Soundtrack to Puzzled Identities juxtaposes iconic Arab artists onto well known western album covers, consciously merging the past & present into new conceptually layered illustrations that transcend cultural boundaries while playing with the intersection of tradition and modernity. The exhibition aims to trigger nostalgia amongst those familiar, while stimulating a sense of curiosity about iconic musical figures who have shaped Arab and popular culture.
While amusing and playful the illustrations and composed mashups are a call to Arab & non-Arab audiences alike to dispel the idea that cultures are incompatible, rather celebrating the ambiguity and diversity of Arab identity in the modern world.