Yasmine Nasser Diaz
2023/24 City of Los Angeles Independent Master Artist Project Grant Recipients
Department of Cultural Affairs
November 15, 2023
LINK
YASMINE NASSER DIAZ
Yasmine Nasser Diaz is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice navigates overlapping tensions around religion, gender, and third-culture identity. Using collage, textiles, immersive installation, video, performance, and sound, Diaz mines her personal archives and collects found imagery and objects that reflect her Yemeni-American upbringing and create space for collective diasporic conversations. Often set within domestic spheres, Diaz creates narratives that center acts of resistance and bodily autonomy, convey individual histories, and celebrate global feminist protest movements.
Deeply influenced by the code-switching techniques used to navigate her multicultural upbringing, Diaz identifies and employs materials and strategies that present and embody complex subjectivities and multivalent identities. Most notably, Diaz uses a fiber etching technique that results in depictions of SWANA (Southwest Asian & North African) female identifying and non-binary individuals. Also known as velvet burnouts or devoré, Diaz’ fiber etched works draw attention to the Yemeni application of these fabrics in a style known as dir’, which symbolizes femininity, though it is often reserved for married or engaged women. As a carefully applied acidic paste dissolves the cellulose fibers of the velvet, Diaz’ images are revealed in the silk-based mesh that remains intact, sometimes casting shadows of burned figures on the walls behind the works.
Yasmine Nasser Diaz (b. Chicago, IL) has exhibited work internationally at venues including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, OXY ARTS / Occidental College, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and OCHI in Los Angeles, CA; Arab American National Museum and Habibi House in Michigan; NADA at Governor’s Island in New York, NY; ZoHo in Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Station in Beirut, Lebanon. Diaz’ work has been featured in publications including The Los Angeles Times, artnet news, Artillery Magazine, Hyperallergic, Architectural Digest, Detroit Metro Times, and Artsy. Her work is included in various private and public collections including Los Angeles County Museum of Art, University of California Los Angeles, and the Arab American National Museum. Diaz lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.
Institutional Exhibitions
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YASMINE NASSER DIAZ FOR THE SAKE OF DANCING IN THE STREET
June 3 - July 29, 2023OXY ARTS, LOS ANGELES, CA -
YASMINE NASSER DIAZ SOFT POWERS
March 28, 2020 - May 31, 2022Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI -
YASMINE NASSER DIAZ Exit Strategies
June 8 - August 3, 2018Women’s Center for Creative Work, LOS ANGELES, CA
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YASMINE NASSER DIAZ
Born Chicago, IL
Lives and works in Los Angeles, CA
SOLO & TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2024
TBD,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA (forthcoming)
2023
Solo Booth,
The Armory Show, presented by OCHI, New York, NY
2022
the sound of your voice is home,
ReflectSpace Gallery, Glendale Library, Glendale, CA
some things we keep to ourselves,
UTA Artist Space, Beverly Hills, CA
2021
For Your Eyes Only,
NADA House, Governor's Island, New York, NY
these illusory utopias,
with Aneesa Shami Zizzo, Studio 203, Culver City, CA
2020
soft powers,
Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI
2019
Dirty Laundry,
Habibi House, Detroit, MI
2018
Exit Strategies,
Women's Center for Creative Work, Los Angeles, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
for the sake of dancing in the street,
co-organized by Yasmine Nasser Diaz, OXY ARTS, and Los Angeles Nomadic Division, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond,
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Sense of Self: The Islamic Contemporary,
curated by Sascha Crasnow, The Residential College Art Gallery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
The Magical Mystery Tour Returns,
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Our Lips Are Sealed,
curated by Aandrea Stang, California State University Dominguez Hills Art Gallery, Carson, CA
2022
Our Lips Are Sealed,
curated by Aandrea Stang, Seaver Art Gallery, The Marlborough School, Los Angeles, CA
Continuum,
co-presented by The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection, Residency Art Gallery, and Kroenke Family Foundation, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
To Make is To Stay,
Galerie Camille, Detroit, MI
ARAB: A Real Arab Blueprint,
Spot Lite Detroit & Galerie Camille, Detroit, MI
2021
Foresight Prevents Blindness,
Fine Arts Center Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Expanded Field,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá,
curated by Ever Velasquez, Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2020
If Everything Was An Outrage,
Track 16, Los Angeles, CA
New Radicalism: The Radical New Voices from the Middle-East, North Africa and her Diasporas,
ZoHo, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Arab Amp,
Pieter Space, Los Angeles, CA
2019
On Echoes of Invisible Hearts,
Station, Beirut, Lebanon
A Manifest of Ipseities,
333 Midland, Detroit, MI
A Store Show,
ODD ARK LA, Los Angeles, CA
With a Little Help from My Friends,
Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
The Binder of Women,
The Pit, Los Angeles, CA
Singing in the Dark,
Art Salon Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Overlapping Tension,
Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA
Tell Me A Story And I’ll Sing You A Song,
Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
CO/LAB 4,
presented by Torrance Art Museum, ODD ARK LA, Los Angeles, CA
Welcome Home,
AALA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Familiar Friends,
Durden and Ray, Los Angeles, CA
On Echoes of Invisible Hearts,
The Poetry Project Space, Berlin, Germany
Heat Wave,
Guerrero Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Surrogate,
Pieter Performance Space, Los Angeles, CA
plantsssssssssssssssssssss,
Art in the Park, Arroyo Seco, Los Angeles, CA
Radiant,
Blue Roof Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Good Smoke/Good Poke,
0-0 LA, Los Angeles, CA
Feminism Now,
Grafiska Sallskapet, Stockholm, Sweden
This Is Awkward,
Experimentally Structured Museum of Art, El Segundo, CA
Disparate Sources,
Keystone Art Space, Los Angeles, CA
2017
Office Hours,
The Main Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Her Intuition,
Brainworks Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
On The Other Side: at land's edge 2017 Fellows Exhibition,
Human Resources, Los Angeles, CA
One Woman Shows,
Pieter Space, Los Angeles, CA
State of the Union,
Brainworks Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Uprise,
Untitled Space, New York, NY
2016
Women on the Fence,
Mothership Festival, Desert Hot Springs, CA
LA/Berlin,
Mission Workshop, Los Angeles, CA
Face Time,
Maiden L.A., Los Angeles, CA
Viva La Muxer,
Werkatz, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Latina/o Queer Arts & Film Festival,
Advocate & Gochis Galleries, Los Angeles, CA
2010
Abriendo La Boca,
EntreyArte, Buenos Aires, Argentina
RESIDENCIES & AWARDS
2023
Grant Recipient, City of Los Angeles Independent Master Artist Project, Los Angeles, CA
Cultural Trailblazer Grant, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA
2021
Artist Residency, Marble House, Dorset, VT
Fellow, Pratt>Forward, New York, NY (Online)
Efroymson Visiting Artist Residency, University of Michigan, Arbor, MI
2020
Artist in Residence, Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI
Emergency Grant, Foundation for Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Creative Capital Award Semi-Finalist, New York, NY
2019
Project Grant for Dirty Laundry, Puffin Foundation, New York, NY
Visual Artist Fellowship, California Community Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Visual Artist Grant, Harpo Foundation, Johnson, VT
Emerging Artist Grant Nominee, Rema Hort Mann Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
Artist in Residence, Habibi House, Detroit, MI
2018
Artist in Residence, Women’s Center for Creative Work, Los Angeles, CA
2017
Fellow, at land's edge, Los Angeles, CA
LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
2023
Art & Conversation: Sherin Guirguis and Yasmine Nasser Diaz,
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
the sound of your voice is home: Yasmine Nasser Diaz in conversation with Ikram Lakhdhar,
Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA
2022
Cinema Outside the Movie Theater, Visiting Artist Lecture,
Duke University, Durham, NC
Visiting Artist Lecture,
Skidmore, Owings, & Merril, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist Lecture,
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2021
Drawing & Color Visiting Artist Lecture,
University of California Los Angeles Design Media Arts, Los Angeles, CA
Migration in Perpetuity: Yemeni Voices from the Diaspora (Online),
Middle East Institute, Washington, D.C.
Visiting Artist Lecture,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2020
Surveillance and Censorship Within One’s Own Community,
11:Eleven Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Confronting Anti-Blackness in the Yemeni Community,
Tayramana, Sana’a, Yemen
Visiting Artist Lecture,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2019
Paul Brach Visiting Artist Lecture,
California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
Policy and Paletas,
California Immigrant Policy Center, Los Angeles, CA
Guest Lecture,
California State Summer School for the Arts, Los Angeles, CA
Let’s Talk About بيع (eib),
Habibi House, Detroit, MI
Artist Talk,
Room Project, Detroit, MI
Feminism & Love,
with Alexis Bolter, The Situation Room, Los Angeles, CA
Rip Roar,
with Akina Cox, Other Books, Los Angeles, CA
Artist Talk,
Marlborough School, Los Angeles, CA
2018
The Art of Resistance,
Guest Lecturer, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
Artist Talk,
with Ibi Ibrahim and Lila Nazemian, The Poetry Project Space, Berlin, Germany
Artist Talk,
with Samira Yamin, Women’s Center for Creative Work, Los Angeles, CA
Culture Clash,
panel host with Arshia Haq, Rema Ghuloum, and Gazelle Samizay
Collage Artists Tackle Contemporary Issues,
Kolaj Fest, New Orleans, LA
Dismantling Patriarchy,
Golden Thread Productions, Brava Theater Center, San Francisco, CA
Women’s Studies Guest Speaker,
California State University, Los Angeles, CA
2016
Headscarves and Hymens,
Women’s Center for Creative Work, Los Angeles, CA
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2023
Garcia, Nahui. “for the sake of dancing in the street at OXY ARTS," Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles, Nov. 7
Waddoups, Ryan. “At the Armory Show, Artsy CEO Mike Steib Call Out the Artists to Watch," Surface, Sep. 5
Anspon, Catherine D. “An Insider’s Guide to Manhattan’s 2023 Armory Show – Standouts, Discoveries, and Texas’ Best," Paper City Magazine, Aug. 29
Grant, Philip. “Musings on a Major Exhibition: Women Defining Women at LACMA," The Markaz Review, Jun. 26
Garner, Alex. “Publisher’s Eye: For the sake of dancing in the street at OXY ARTS," Artillery Magazine, Jun. 15
Waseem, Zaynah. “LACMA’s latest exhibit honors women’s voices across the Middle East and beyond," University of Southern California Annenberg Media, May 3
Shamberg, Caitlin. “Don’t Forget to Call Home," Getty, Apr. 12
Dambrot, Shana Nys. “An Inspired Collage: Arts Calendar March 9-15," LA Weekly, Mar. 8
Stromberg, Matt. “How an LA Football Stadium Became a Home for Art," Hyperallergic, Feb. 7
2022
Vohra, Suamyaa. “Your Qatar Trip," GQ India, Oct. 31
Gore, Sydney. “Welcome to Demi Lovato’s Trippy Modern Farmhouse," Architectural Digest, Sep. 7
Editors. “14 pop-ups, drops and shows in L.A. that can help open your third eye in August," Los Angeles Times, Aug. 12
Rinck, Jonathan. “Soft Powers @ Arab American National Museum," Detroit Art Review, Jul. 19
Duke University Press:, Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies, Vol. 18, No. 2 Jul. 1 (cover)
Green, Randiah Camille. “‘To Make is To Stay’ showcases Arab artists and the desire to be understood in a beautiful way," Detroit Metro Times, Mar. 4
2021
Almulaiki, Rasha. “‘My beloved community:’ How Arabs are creating space in Detroit’s art scene," Detroit Metro Times, Dec. 3
White, Katie. “Breakout Artist Yasmine Nasser Diaz Starts Each Day with a Collage and Gets Un-Stuck by Hula-Hooping," artnet news, Jul. 6
Pasquini, Elaine. “Yemen Through the Lens of Contemporary Artists," Washington Report On Middle East Affairs, Jun. 26
“Migration Perpetuity: Yemeni Voices from the Diaspora," Middle East Institute, Jun.
Tamara, Indera. “Yasmine Nasser Diaz is For Your Eyes Only," No Basic Girls Allowed, Apr. 9
Smith, Elizabeth. “Yasmine Nasser Diaz's "For Your Eyes Only" Invites Viewers to Wrestle with Our Public-Private Lives In The Digital Age," Pulp, Mar. 23
Smith, Elizabeth. “Yasmine Nasser Diaz's "For Your Eyes Only" Invites Viewers to Wrestle with Our Public-Private Lives In The Digital Age," Artsy, Mar. 18
“Artist Spotlight with Yasmine Nasser Diaz," ArteEast, Mar. 7
Khan, Sana. “Archiving Immigrant Girlhood: Yasmine Nasser Diaz’ “soft powers"," Radical History, Jan. 25
Schulte, Julie. “Velvet Revolution: Yasmine Nasser Diaz," Artillery Magazine, Jan. 5
2020
McHugh, Barry. “Putting Them Together: Yasmine Nasser Diaz," Painting in text, Nov. 4
Dambrot, Shana Nys. “Arts Calendar: Yasmine Nasser Diaz’ Soft Powers at OCHI," LA Weekly, Oct. 7
“Meet Yasmine Nasser Diaz," Shoutout LA, Oct. 5
“31 Women: Yasmine Nasser Diaz," Bitch Magazine, Iss. 88, Aug. 8
Kurwa, Nishat. “Step into a world…of Yemeni American girlhood," Talk Story, Jun. 18
Sharp, Sarah Rose. “Reveling in Female Interiority and Soft Power," Hyperallergic, Apr. 28
Barling, Naomi. “Artists in Quarantine: Yasmine Diaz," Mission Magazine
Papillon, Michelle Joan. “In Studio with Yasmine Nasser Diaz," (Online), Queensfest
“Meet Yasmine Nasser Diaz, Multidisciplinary Artist & Fiber Etching Warrior," Raw Femme
2019
Munro, Cait. "15 Of Our Favorite Contemporary Artists Get Real About Making In The Art World," Refinery29, Aug. 8
Vartanian Collier, Lizzy. “Yemeni Artists Reflect on Their War-Torn Homeland," Hyperallergic, Apr. 24
“On Echoes of Invisible Hearts: Image Making and Popular Archiving in Times of Unrest Yemeni art comes to Beirut," Jdeed Magazine, Apr. 9
Jreige, Cynthia. “Eye on Yemeni Art," Jdeed Magazine, Iss. 4
Silcox, Katie. “How Yemeni Artists Are Highlighting Displacement," Contemporary Class, Feb.
2018
Defilippo, Carly. “Ten Artists We Should Be Watching," The Billboard Magazine, Oct.
Shahrour, Tariq. “On Echoes of Invisible Hearts: Narratives of Yemeni Displacement," ArtMejo, Oct. 15
Bolter, Alexis Alicette. “Yasmine Diaz: Exit Strategies at The Women’s Center for Creative Work," The Coastal Post, Jul. 26
Miranda, Carolina. “Datebook: Shots of old Route 66, dreamlike paintings and garments fashioned from paper," Los Angeles Times, Jul. 12
Osberg, Annabel. “Yasmine Diaz," Artillery Magazine, Jul. 11
Harris Ballen, Lynn. “Exit Strategies," Feminist Magazine Radio, Jun. 19 (interview)
Pack, Pia. “Yasmine Diaz," What Artists Listen To, Ep. 13, Jun. 12 (podcast)
Hall, Carmen Rosy. “The Wing’s Curator Falls Asleep to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Dreams of Rearranging Art," Vogue, May 15
Lindsay, Kitty. “Yasmine Diaz," Feminist Crush, Se. 3, Ep. 13, Apr. 20 (podcast)
2017
Hessami, Aryana Gazza. “One Way or Another: A Profile of Yasmine Diaz," Kolaj Magazine, Iss. 21
“Yasmine Diaz, Artist," Hera Collective, Dec. 19
Davis, Genie. “Brainworks Gallery Celebrates the Confidence of Her Intuition," Art & Cake, May 29
“Brainworks Gallery presents ‘Her Intuition,’", Fabrik, Apr. 13
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
The Poetry Space, Berlin, Germany
News
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
for the sake of dancing in the street at Oxy Arts
Contemporary Art Review LA
November 7, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
At the Armory Show, Artsy CEO Mike Steib Calls Out the Artists to Watch
Surface Magazine
September 5, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
An Insider’s Guide to Manhattan’s 2023 Armory Show
Paper City Magazine
August 29, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
for the sake of dancing in the street
OxyArts
June 3 – July 29, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
Publisher’s Eye: “For the Sake of Dancing in the Street”
Artillery Magazine
June 15, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
Musings on a Major Exhibition: “Women Defining Women” at LACMA
The Markaz Review
June 26, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
LACMA’s latest exhibit honors women’s voices across the Middle East and beyond
USC Annenberg Media
May 3, 2023
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Yasmine Nasser Diaz
Included in Women Defining Women in the Middle East and Beyond at LACMA
Apr 23–Sep 24, 2023
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