Najjar Abdul-Musawwir's headshot

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir

Professor
mekka@siu.edu
618-453-3019
Allyn Building 5A
Africana Studies, Art
Najjar Abdul-Musawwir was born October 25th, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois. He is an internationally-acknowledged artist who has exhibited throughout the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe. He currently works as a Professor of studio arts and art history in both the School of Art and Design and Africana Studies program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Professional Career

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir 20013 DrawingHe has received distinguished and prestigious acknowledgments. Among these are: first Artist-n-Residency/exhibition for the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Detroit, invitational Artist-n-Residency/exhibition by the Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Gallery in Malaysia, commissioned to create a piece for the Visions of Our 44th President traveling exhibition hosted by Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award, Judge William Holmes Cook Professorship Endowment, and an invitation by the MacArthur Foundation in Chicago as a member of an Illinois artists' consulting team.

Najjar's work illustrates culture, faith, and history through abstract language. He uses different materials as a metaphor for the human experience; and thus abstract materials to discuss our abstract existence. His paintings are harmonious visions of contrasting colors, flowing liquefaction, and symbolic transparency. Najjar is known for using burlap sacks/material in his paintings, and considers it a profound and puissant symbol. The idea of burlap exploiting the surface, which speaks to the power of harvesting the spiritual experiences of the human-will – past, present, and beyond the 21st century.

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir 20013 Sculpture

Najjar's Philosophical Thoughts:

Research – Look for what is not evident and see possibilities.

Service – Helping others is without doubt the helping of thy self.

Teaching – Educate others perchance they understand the message better than me: they become the teacher and me the student.

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir 20013 Painting

Links:

SALON 53 2-5-Oh! Art Exhibition Feb 22, 2014

BLAC Detroit | Visions of our 44th President