Rasha Amin is a multidisciplinary artist based in Rome, Italy. She was born and lived in Cairo, Egypt, where there is a rich, white cultural heritage and a long history. Societal norms and expectations however can pose challenges and influence various aspects of life, such as family dynamics, education, employment opportunities, and personal freedoms, particularly for women.
Women may face societal pressures to conform to specific standards and roles defined by traditional values. Amin, like so many Egyptian women, is trying to break barriers and contribute to positive change.
Rasha was fortunate enough to have found her passion in art at a very early age, thanks to her mother, who was so supportive and believed in her daughter’s talent. She decided to pursue her studies in Fine Arts in Cairo at Helwan University, where she graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts in 2003. Later, she joined a group of passionate artists who would go to paint in the old town in Cairo every Friday, to enjoy and get inspired by their cultural heritage sites and eventually exhibit their works in different art venues.
A few years later, she decided to follow her path by becoming an independent visual artist who followed her visions. She worked as a graphic designer to make a living and support herself and her art, and there, she explored her graphic skills as a tool that could be an addition to being a multidisciplinary artist. Later, she found an intersection amongst the many artistic forms, and she is constantly developing her visual and conceptual vocabulary.
Today, her body of work is a mix of her stories, personal experiences, struggles, successes, and a narrative that could impact the world by creating understanding and empathy from different perceptions and backgrounds.
In 2018, Amin moved to Italy after she met her husband, and they decided to set out on an adventure by joining an agricultural project in the south of Italy where they produced extra virgin olive oil and cultivated pomegranate plants.
She established her art studio in 2019 (La Casetta Bianca). When the pandemic of COVID-19 hit the world, Amin found herself, like many others, isolated for two years but in a small town, surrounded by nature and sea. It was an opportunity for her to lock herself down, to channel her journey and all that she went through, onto her canvas. She produced a series of paintings, drawings, photography, and recently an animation video art named Rebirth.
She feels that this time helped us explore our true selves, understand who we are, and rebuild our inner relationships. She keeps thinking about how she can use her voice and contribute to the world by using her tools as a visual artist, to be heard, to be seen, to make even a little difference.
After the pandemic ended, she decided to return to Rome and enjoy the richness of the cultural city. She established her art studio in Rome in 2022, where she is currently presenting her exhibition of mixed-media paintings and experimental video art named “The Land.” The exhibition presents some narrative of the vision that focuses on events in the world, specifically in the Middle East.
At the moment, she is pursuing her Master in Art and Culture Management in Rome to collaborate in the future with cultural associations and foundations that focus on issues in the Middle East region, as she believes that collective efforts have a more significant impact. Sharing information and resources about the cultural, social, and political dynamics of the Middle East can be a powerful tool for dispelling stereotypes and fostering understanding. G&S
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