10 Questions with Patricia Daher

Patricia Daher (b. 1988, United States) is a New York-based multidisciplinary artist, poet, and environmental activist. She is known for creating autobiographical promoting peace through the balance of human societies with the natural world. She delivers this message through paintings, drawings, collages, sculptures, and performance works inspired by forms of nature. 

Raised between New York and Beirut, Daher's journey as a professional artist began after a change in major from Mathematics to Art. In 2015, she graduated from Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art, a focus on Painting and Near Eastern Religions, along with a minor in Art History. After exhibiting work locally and working for a few arts organizations, Daher quit teaching mathematics and enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Technology's Master's program for Art Market Studies, where she received a fellowship award in global diversity.  

Daher's work has been exhibited at various galleries, featured in several local and international art fairs, and published in important publications such as The Washington Post and Hyperallergic. Awards include the Wave Award, the Catalyst scholarship Award, and the IMPART Artist Grant Award from Qatar America Institute for Culture.

www.patriciadaher.com | @patriciatdaher

ARTIST STATEMENT

"Everything is connected, and balance is key. I create to express the voice of nature and challenge the viewer's perception of reality."​
— Patricia Daher

Patricia Daher's works are created with the intention of promoting peace through the balance of human societies with the natural world. Daher creates autobiographical works that capture the zeitgeist, as they are heavily influenced by her many interests, globalization, and the age of information. Daher enjoys experimenting with innovative materials and techniques, language, repetitive motifs, and vibrant color combinations to address environmental concerns. Historically, her works have contributed to expanding the boundaries of conceptual, new surrealist, visionary, and symbolic art. She sees art as a universal tool of communication and creates to present simple yet complex topics. With the understanding that true knowledge and innovation are achievable through an interdisciplinary approach, mathematical and scientific ideas inform her work, and so do abstract concepts inspired by ancient history, mythology, and theology in relation to society, music, and the plant world. She finds thoughts like the connection of the micro and macro intriguing. Forms and elements of nature are integral to her practice.

INTERVIEW

First of all, let’s talk about your background. When and how did you start getting interested in art? 

I was always surrounded by the arts growing up. My mother used to draw, paint, write, and sing all the time. In second grade, I made a painting, which really impressed the teachers. That painting was immediately hung on the billboard. I remember being surprised by the attention it received and wondering why. Then, Looking around, I realized that the other kids’ paintings were typical stick figures with houses, grass, a tree, and a sun. Mine was very different. That is when I first became aware of my gift as an artist. Being raised between Beirut and New York, I changed schools a few times, and each time, art helped me adjust to these new and very different environments. I have memories of crafting elaborate snowflakes and distributing them to my classmates when they asked for them. They were my first collectors! The attention and appreciation I received for making, showing, and sharing my work helped me transcend the language barriers and cultural differences to connect with others in these new spaces. 

In your biography, you mention how you transitioned from studying Mathematics to pursuing a career in art. How did you arrive at this decision, 

I have always excelled equally in mathematics and the fine arts. Initially, I was considering majoring in graphic design or interior design, and then I finally settled on architecture. While working on the mathematics prerequisites, I was enjoyingthe classes and teaching, which led to my decision  to pursue a career as a math professor and switch my major to mathematics. While teaching, I met my mentor, one of my students, who encouraged me to peruse the arts. That is how Studio Art became my second major. By the fourth year, in Abstract Analysis, I was not enjoying composing pages of theorems and axioms proving something, such as whether a line is straight or not. The Math changed, and at the same time, I was enjoying my art classes.  So, I let go of math and focused on art. That change made me serious about being an artist. My problem-solving and analysis skills were repurposed to making art a reliable and profitable career, leading to an education in the business of art, which opened doors to several opportunities in the field.

Ultimately, how did you develop into the artist you are today?

Mainly, hard work while doing what I love: years of doing hundreds of works, always improving and refining skills, constant problem solving and effort, lots of research and experimentation, persistence, being inspired by my surroundings, self-reflection, trying to understand what I am doing and why, working with a cause, following my heart and intuition, wearing many hats, not being discouraged by rejection, learning from mistakes, learning from others’ journeys, finding balance, adjusting, learning discipline, overcoming fears, and being optimistic. Being grateful for opportunities; appreciating the support of my mentors, family, and friends; appreciating the support of the organizations I exhibited with and that published my work, as well as the viewers who came to the shows and appreciated the work, and collectors who loved and bought my work.

Let’s talk about your practice. Your work spans painting, drawing, collages, sculpture, and performance. How do these diverse mediums contribute to your artistic expression, and how do they collectively convey the messages of promoting peace and balance with the natural world?

According to the third universal law in physics, for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thisparallels the idea of “Karma” or “what you sow, you reap” is integral to most global belief systems. However, this concept is universal, not only limited to human interactions but extends to our interactions as humans with the plant and animal worlds, which is why it is important to be more caring and mindful of the environment. The collections collectively promote increased consideration and increased empathy towards nature. Cosmic Ocean, for example, addresses water pollution, while Plants Speak explores the sentient nature of plants.

Your work draws inspiration from nature, mathematics, ancient history, mythology, and religions. How do these diverse sources inform your creative process, and how do you integrate these abstract concepts into your art? 

Conceptually and stylistically. For example, the Cosmic Ocean collection addresses consumerism and water pollution. Birds of a Feather addresses the unregulated and excessive bird hunting on major migratory routes over the skies of Lebanon as well as the millions of birds killed by pesticides in the United States. Plants Speak advocates against deforestation by portraying the sentient nature of plants. The patterns in The Alphabet collection are inspired by the ancient Phoenician civilization (ancient Lebanese civilization) as well as dyslexia (psychology and education) combined with textile design techniques (fashion). These works are also visual representations of sound and vibration (music), inspired by the Icarus - the music of plants painted by members of the Shipibo Conibo tribe (anthropology). The performance, Free Money, highlights the generosity of nature, while Fruitful City brings awareness to the proximity of city dwellers to their food source. Elements, for example, are inspired by chemistry, highlighting the fact that everything is made of the same thing, matter. At the same time, this collection presents elements of nature as precious sculptures to be preserved. Moods is a collection exploring female archetypes with ideas and symbols sourced from Near Eastern mythology. Mathematics plays a huge role, as seen in the more systematic collections involving repetition and pattern. Mathematics is also present in the symmetry, geometric, and graphic quality of some of my works. The transcendental nature of repetition is simultaneously inspired by mathematical concepts and mantras in theology.

Speaking of your creative process, what is it like? Do you have any specific rules or routines? 

The main rule is finding balance between tending to responsibilities and doing what I love every day. I work on many projects at the same time. I imagine the finished piece in my mind first, then proceed to make it. With some works, though, I start with a blank canvas and follow my thoughts to where they lead me. I very rarely throw away art, which is how the collages emerged. I see accidents as messages and sources of inspiration.

What is the most enjoyable part of your work for you? And what do you find more difficult to tackle?

I love making the work and being in my own world. I become excited every time I make something new or discover a new technique or material. The business and marketing side of artmaking has become easier and easier over the years.

Is there anything else you would like to experiment with or any other theme you would like to incorporate into your practice in the future?

When I worked at Bill Hodges Gallery in Chelsea, New York, the first exhibition I experienced and worked on was Masters of Sculpture, featuring a collection of large sculptures by important sculptors of the African diaspora; artists such as Richard Hunt, Melvin Edwards, Elizabeth Catlett, and John Tarrell Scott. These artists inspired me to expand towards making large sculptures and installations. Seeing the mastery in Romare Bearden’s collages inspired me to develop my collage techniques further. After several visits to Hilma Af Klint’s retrospective at the Guggenheim, I became motivated to be bolder in expressing the spiritual and symbolic aspects of my work. I will also be making more landscapes inspired by the sceneries of trees, mountains, and the Mediterranean inspired by the natural beauty of Lebanon, particularly after viewing Etel Adnan’s abstract landscapes at her retrospective at the Guggenheim. 

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future in terms of new projects? 

Now, mainly bird collages and paintings of birds for the Birds of a Feather Collection. In the near future, I plan to expand on the Alphabet, Fruitful City, and Elements collections. I have been experimenting with resin. 

Finally, do you have any upcoming shows or collaborations you are looking forward to?

So far, in addition to the catalog, an exhibition at the Clio Art Fair in New York, and hopefully another show at the Qatar International Art Festival in Doha.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.