My practice operates at the intersection of material psychology and ceramic research, investigating how objects function as vessels for cultural memory and psychological resonance. I approach clay as a collaborator in a dialogue about belonging, displacement, and the sensory experience of 'home.'
My methodology is informed by a decade of clinical work in behavioral therapy across Lebanon, the UAE, and the US. This background instilled in me a rigorous attention to non-verbal communication and the ways in which objects and environments regulate the nervous system. In my studio, this translates to a focus on tactility and the psychological impact of the ceramic process. For instance, my research into glaze formulation such as the low-fire luster reduction — a technique historically rooted in the Islamic Golden Age and the Silk Road trade routes — is a rigorous technical pursuit and an archival act. By researching these metallic sheens, I am physically re-tracing the paths of cultural exchange, embedding the history of migration into the surface of the work.
My recent projects, including At the Gate of Dawn and The Veils of Dawn, function as case studies inviting viewers to engage with the 'uncanny valley' of the ceramic object, where the familiar meets the strange, and prompting a reflection on their own psychological boundaries. As a researcher, I am committed to expanding the definition of ceramic practice to include diversity-affirming pedagogy and ethical collaboration, ensuring that cultural production is as inclusive as the audiences it seeks to engage.
My work posits that the clay body, in its malleability and permanence, offers a unique model for understanding the fluidity of human identity.