The Denver Art Museum Acquires Work by Maryam Yousif

 We're thrilled to announce the placement of Maryam Yousif's Desert Cinema, A Reflection from her fall 2022 exhibition with the gallery, Mishwar, into the Denver Art Museum's permanent collection! 

 

 

ABOUT DESERT CINEMA, A REFLECTION

A cross-departmental collaboration between the Asian Art and Modern and Contemporary Art departments, this acquisition brings a piece of ancient Mesopotamian deserts and 1980s Middle Eastern pop culture to the Rocky Mountains.

Charismatic and colorful, Yousif draws upon devotional artifacts of the ancient world which she modernizes with a playful contemporary flare. Her work often features female figures, handbags, and palm trees, each with connections to cultural traditions ranging from 2900 BCE to today.

 

Desert Cinema, A Reflection is a stoneware sculpture of two palm trees coming together to hold a small canvas in the middle depicting a desert landscape. Ubiquitous in her native Iraq, palm trees serve as both a reflection of Yousif's personal experiences and an enduring symbol of power and resilience, fertility, and nourishment.