The Making of a Generation

SOMA Art Gallery presents the Making of a Generation by Maria Uroos. Utilizing interactivity, visual communication, prints, video projection, and a site-specific installation, this exhibition addresses the refugee crisis that has been unfolding in Syria and many other countries in the world. More people than ever are facing major humanitarian crisis – over 125 million people are displaced and have fled their homes as a result of war conflicts and persecution.

She felt the need to create a visual dialogue about the changes in life, culture, and religion that she saw post 9/11. Her tools include text and image, metaphors and analogies, elements and principles. All convey thoughts about the region where she lived, fleshed out into a form that is meant to extend conversations. Each piece begins with her.

Maria Uroos (b. 1984) is a Pakistani-born, New York City-based graphic designer. She studied Communications Design at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute and holds an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from the City College of New York. Her work incorporates graphic elements of vernacular media, such as hand-written typography and collage, to examine representations of ownership and authenticity. Using, traditional art forms, and digital media, Uroos presents intriguing and thought provoking narratives that explore the historical vicissitudes of cultural identity and shed light on the human condition in a war torn society. She also works with various digital models, including 3D printing and motion graphics, to engage with contemporary issues of displacement, forced migration, and basic human rights issues.

Uroos's work has been exhibited in the JH Arts Festival, Art Gotham, and Crest Art Fest, as well as at the West Side Gallery, Pratt Institute Gallery, Open Gallery Space, Musée Le Livre et la Lettre, and Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse. She recently curated Design + Architecture = Art; and Hang Together: Collaborative Work & Practices.

Artist:

Maria Uroos (Pakistan)

2016/07