Salem, Farah

Farah Salem is an artist and art therapist working in Chicago who works with photography, performance, fiber art, video, and installation to explore social and cultural constructs as they relate to larger understandings of identity and belonging. For this series, the artist places herself tightly within cardboard boxes in isolated indoor and outdoor settings. The artist states: “It’s about how we choose to live, uncomfortably folded up in our box, because we’re too scared to leave our comfort zone. But, outside, there is actually this wonderful nowhere, and it’s so easy to stand up and explore these beautiful spaces and landscapes.”

Salem has held solo exhibitions at United Photo Industries, New York, Mana Contemporary, Chicago; Site Galleries, Chicago; La Galerie, Dubai, and Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait. Her work has also been included in group exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago; American University Museum Katzen Art Center; Sharjah Art Foundation; and in the Bolivia Biennale at Centro Cultural De Santa Cruz. She was named the Laurette Winner of the Women's Photographers Award in 2017.