Zainab Elrahal

Born to Syrian parents, Zainab Elrahal grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where her infatuation with ceramics began in high school. In 2022, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Ceramics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Elrahal creates work rooted in exploring internal experience and the ways in which the physical body and mind are interwoven. 

Of her work, Elrahal states:

“My work focuses on the mind-body connection, in which the body internalizes and remembers events, emotions, and traumas that the mind tries to forget. The sculptures I create are organic and abstract forms, some of which have figurative elements. I use dense surface carvings and color to create an intense visual field that draws in and captivates the viewer. My concept explores the disconnection, or rather, the two-part system of the mind and body in which the physical body and the mind are unable to understand one another. I am interested in installations that explore this imbalance and confusion in the body, inviting viewers to explore their own perceptions of this phenomenon.  I create my pieces intuitively, allowing room for transformation as I build. I am drawn to the materiality of clay and find that clay remembers just as the body remembers. My aim is to use dissonant color to invite the viewer into a prolonged interaction with the space, while the excavated and scarred pattern relates back to the incessant need to understand one's internal self. 

I am constantly reaching for new ideas and processes to incorporate into my practice. I enjoy creating functional work with figurative elements, creating uncanny pieces that grab the audiences attention. “