Syrian Illustrator Rama Duwaji Welcomes Us To Meet A World Of Women

Apr 22

Apr 22 Syrian Illustrator Rama Duwaji Welcomes Us To Meet A World Of Women

Rama Duwaji is a Syrian illustrator based between Dubai and Washington, DC, whose work pays close attention to the faces of people around her. Monochrome portraits fill up Duwaji’s portfolio as she explores social issues such as beauty standards, misogny and the roles they play in the lives of women of colour and their mental health.

These issues are confronted in the layered line work which Duwaji uses to show in depth detail to each face she draws. Eyes stare out, lips sit full of stubbornness, and eyebrows arch with awareness. As character and personality is etched into each monochrome portrait, Duwaji joyfully guides the viewer to explore the people whose identity she wishes to share.

No one woman is the same and this is what shines out in Duwaji’s drawings, boldly portraying the uniqueness of each individuals’ features, presenting the beauty found in each nose, jawline and mouth. The scale which Duwaji uses is another element which makes her illustrations have such a profound impact on whoever sees them. Pushing facial features and hair styles to the very edge of a frame expanding the wonder of the female face until it seems to burst beyond the seams of the space it has been confined to.

There is the symbolic gesture of confidence and support felt in the way Duwaji’s depicts women on their own and in groups of twos and threes. This representation reflects an undercurrent of strength and power in their positioning next to one another, like a band or team not to be messed with. This hard-edged attitude felt in many of the expressions we see on Duwaji’s faces is in perfect balance with a feeling of attention, care and love for celebrating womanhood, sisterly relationships and individual identities.