“I appreciated Rajie Cook’s vision, and his intensity. His images are heart breaking, but profoundly realized works of art. It was also interesting to hear how much work he has done with Israelis who are also interested in bring[ing] a true peace to that part of the Middle East.” – Exhibit Attendee, February 13, 2018
In February 2018, Al-Bustan and Twelve Gates Arts had the honor of co-presenting the book launch and exhibition of Palestinian American graphic designer and artist Rajie Cook.
Beyond his story featured in Al-Bustan’s (DIS)PLACED project, Rajie’s art exhibition and book—titled A Vision for My Father—illustrate stories of exile and search for home that are irreplicable. His presentation for the two events held at Twelve Gates Art left the audience reflecting on the complexity of the situation in Palestine and more.
The exhibit highlighted original artworks that are based on undeniable yet under-reported facts. Pieces that he shared on-screen included titles such as “Gold Standard,” “Rock and Load,” “Processed for Peace,” and “Forever Rachel.” The informed artist that he is, Rajie’s presentations included a myriad of facts and quotes to further validate his political pieces in addition to his belief in utilizing art as a means to effect change. He also focused on the notion of searching for one’s identity across the other side of the globe, all while adding bits of nostalgia and humor of the less harsh parts of growing up in America as the son of Palestinian immigrants.
A universal experience shared by artists is one of ridicule or doubt that they would ever make a positive difference in the world. Rajie himself recounted a (perhaps abridged) conversation he had with his father upon telling him that he wanted to major in art instead of medicine or engineering, and how “disappointed” his family was despite supporting him. After chuckling along with the audience in between other tidbits, he concluded his presentation with strong words from Norman Lear:
“… If any entity is going to help our culture reestablish a relationship with the truth, it will be its artists. Artists know how to cut through the ideological foghorns, to express the common human feelings we all share, but artists can only flourish and grow if they find and interact with appreciative audiences…”
A Vision for My Father, Rajie Cook’s autobiographical book, is now available on Interlink Publishing.
As Rajie writes about his transition from a graphic designer to artist:
In 1999, after 46 years as a graphic designer, I found time to explore this new medium, sculptural “assemblage”. The inspiration and opportunity to explore this mode of artistic expression comes at a time when my commercial career has sufficiently matured so that I can apply my skills, experiences, and a lifetime of artistic perspective to create “statements” with these assemblages.
Most of my “raw” materials come from private collections, my own photography, flea markets, and antique shops, where I spend hours searching for items that inspire use in my boxes. My process, using these “found” materials, feels to me much like theater. As in the legitimate stage, I work within a three-dimensional form to portray the comedy or tragedy of life. I create these miniature, silent, “theaters” to express my feelings about a range of subjects. The three-dimensional objects I construct, using the found and fabricated objects (my “Thespians”), are a series of “performances” that share my deepest feelings with my audience.
