Oct. 18, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, 323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018, USA
Join us for an engaging artist panel featuring Samira Abbassy, Noormah Jamal and Melissa Joseph, three visionary artists whose work explores identity, memory, and cultural heritage through diverse mediums and perspectives.
The conversation will be moderated by Shilpi Chandra, whose thoughtful facilitation will guide a deep dive into the artists’ creative processes, influences, and the personal and political themes that shape their work. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from these impactful voices in contemporary art. A reception with light refreshments will follow the panel discussion. Free and open to all! Sponsored by SAWCC in collaboration with The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA).
Register here to join us in conversation with these creative visionaries!
About the artists:
Samira Abbassy was born in Ahwaz, Iran in 1965 and moved to London, UK as a child. After graduating from Canterbury College of Art, she began showing in London. She moved to New York in 1998, where she helped to set up the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, and the EFA Studio Center. Her work is in many private and public collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum, British Museum, the Farjaam Collection,Dubai; and the Afkhami Collection. During Abbassy’s thirty year career, her work has been the subject of twenty gallery solo shows in London, Dubai and New York.
Noormah Jamal is a multidisciplinary artist born in Peshawar, Pakistan, currently based in Brooklyn, New York. ‘At the core of my artistic practice lies a deep exploration of human nature and the profound influence of personal experiences that shape individuals. Heavy in symbolism, my artistic language delves into the unspoken emotions and untold stories that often go unnoticed or are silenced.’
Melissa Joseph is a New York based artist. Her work considers themes of memory, family history, and the politics of how we occupy spaces. She intentionally alludes to the labors of women as well as experiences as a second generation American and the unique juxtapositions of diasporic life. Her work has been shown at the Brooklyn Museum, Delaware Contemporary, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA Arlington, ICA San Francisco, and List Gallery at Swarthmore College. She is the recipient of the 2025 UOVO Prize by the Brooklyn Museum and a regular contributor to BOMB Magazine.
EFA OPEN STUDIOS welcomes the public to explore 80 artist studios, along with a host of arts programming and exhibitions, all located in the EFA building in Midtown Manhattan. This event offers a rare opportunity to witness the creative process up close and engage with a vibrant community of professional artists. Our internationally recognized members, each with established studio practices and career honors, will open the doors to showcase their most recent works. Additionally, the EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop will be open for special events and tours, providing firsthand experiences of the transformative power of art. For more information and to register for EFA OPEN STUDIOS, click here.