CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART GRADUATE DREGREE EXHIBITION 2025  
GRADUATES \\ WORK \\ ABOUT \\
MAHA
HMAYED
DEPARTMENT
PHOTOGRAPHY

ORIGIN
DETROIT, MI


Through sustainable analog collage and mixed media, I create surrealist landscapes that explore the intersection of Middle Eastern cultural identity, feminist consciousness, and the subconscious mind. Arabic calligraphy flows through my compositions like visual poetry, transforming from pure language into dreamlike architectural valences and symbols of feminine power. This integration of script serves not only as a bridge between cultures but as a form of resistance against both cultural erasure and patriarchal constraints.

My work investigates confronting power structures, juxtaposing symbols of domestic comfort with elements of courage and rebellion. By carefully sourcing secondhand materials, I construct complex narratives that speak to the duality of feminine experience—soft pink bedding beside weapons, barbed wires intertwined with white lace, traditional Arabic script merged with surreal natural elements. These juxtapositions create a visual language that challenges traditional patriarchal narratives while celebrating feminine strength and cultural identity. Each piece becomes a meditation on power and transformation, inviting viewers to explore their relationship with social norms, cultural belonging, and psychological liberation.

Drawing from personal experience and collective memory, my immersive landscapes challenge established hierarchies and imagine new possibilities for feminine expression. These works serve as mirrors reflecting individual psyche and collective cultural memory, offering spaces for radical reimagining of traditional narratives.
       



ينمحرا‭ ‬
2025, Pink floral blanket, made in China, Turkish coffee set for two, 20"
ينكرتا
2024, Analog collage, 8" x 12"
ةمواقم
2024, Cotton flag, 24" x 30"