For a long time, all Salma Hasan had was her memories.
Raised in a culture in which artists are forbidden to paint human figures, the fine arts graduate could only reminiscence on the deaths of her father, brothers and grief-stricken mother.
But this week, Hasan liberated these memories with the unveiling of her thesis exhibition, “Permitted Memories and Ornamentation,” in Foster Hall Gallery.
The exhibit consists of a collection of oil paintings featuring portraits of Hasan’s loved ones, both living and dead, accented by traditional Arabic design.
Hasan said some may consider her work to be “distasteful” and non-Islamic, but she considers it liberation from outdated Islamic tradition. Her paintings are not forbidden images, she said, but “permitted memories.”
“My mind is really clouded with all these people and memories,” Hasan said. “It is good to release these memories and put them into paintings.”
Painting the faces of her family members alongside the intricate patterns of her childhood offers a uniquely nostalgic form of art, she said.
Hasan said she is often asked why she chose to revisit such heartbreaking memories in her paintings, but she describes it as her process of healing.
“It makes me happy,” Hasan said. “I like to look around and see my family members’ faces.”
Hasan remained spirited as she pointed out some of her favorite pieces from her collection, including portraits of her daughter, son, mother and father.
“[My father’s] face, ornament and scarf is always in my heart,” she said, pausing for a moment as if paying him respect.
Hasan said she prefers to keep the titles of the paintings simple by naming each piece according to the muse’s relation to her. She calls her father’s portrait “Abi,” the Arabic word for father.
Although Hasan’s cultural background is a distinct element of her artwork, she said one of her exhibit’s most unique qualities is the fusion of Western and Eastern cultures. In a portrait of her son, Hasan depicts him playing on a cell phone, a Western activity, but lines the bottom portion of the painting with traditional Eastern patterns.
Hasan said she prefers to capture humans realistically. This technique is most evident in the painting “Ummi,” a portrait of her mother. It features a grieving woman with weary eyes and a solemn countenance staring longingly into the air with a look of lost hope and exhaustion.
“My mom is a very bright, beautiful woman, but when the war took her son from her, she started crying until she died,” she said.
“Permitted Memories and Ornamentation” is Hasan’s second exhibit as a graduate student, and she will receive her third degree this spring.
Hasan earned her bachelor’s degree in Baghdad and boasted a nine-year career as a teacher until she lost most of her family to the war and relocated to Jordan, where she became a freelance artist.
Hasan struggled to regain her position as a teacher when she came to America, but she continued her efforts toward a career in art. Her earlier stateside exhibit was unsuccessful, which she attributed to its proximity to 9/11.
Hasan remains optimistic about her current exhibit and her future career as a teacher.
“It was very hard to start over, coming from a war country, but I hope I get hired someday,” Hasan said.
Her dream of being a teacher again is closer than ever, as she has received the position of a graduate adjunct this summer at the University.
Before closing, a committee comprised of various art professors will evaluate “Permitted Memories and Ornamentation” and decide if Hasan will received her master’s degree this spring.
The gallery will hold a closing reception Friday, which is free and open to the public.
Other thesis exhibitions will be unveiled at Foster Gallery in LSU School of Art and Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Gallery in the Shaw Center for Arts throughout the month, with the final exhibit closing May 1.
 
—-
Contact David Jones at [email protected]