Joanna Barakat’s mixed media artwork brings together the disciplines of painting and Palestinian embroidery. She was born in Jerusalem, raised in Los Angeles and then moved to London for university. She received her BA in Art and Design from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and her MA in Global Media and Postnational Communication from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Her fascination with language and media came together with her artistic background to challenge and question collective ideas and stereotypes. Her self-reflective work draws on her own experiences as a diaspora Palestinian and her spirituality. Complementing her art practice, she shares her passion for Palestinian embroidery through her workshops and The Tatreez Circle Instagram page. Now living in the UAE, she is currently working on a book about Palestinian embroidery in contemporary art.
Photo by Sueraya Shaheen