“Abahay’s Eyes” – Mixed Media 2009
This piece is dedicated to my father, Siciid Ibrahim Osman who was murdered in Oklahoma prior to my birth. The title, “Abahay’s Eye’s,” was given because his eyes, the most important feature in a face, were hidden behind large, dark glasses in the photos I’ve seen of him. I have often been told that my eyes and nose match his, so I picked up a mirror in one hand with a pencil in the other and used drawing as a tool to uncover his face for the first time. And this is how my father looks to me.
The surrounding text contains my apology to him for anger I kept for 25 years of my life, until learning that his “suicide” was in fact murder. It contains my vow to keep his memory alive and find the truth while honoring him for his strength, loyalty, soft heart, hot temper, independent spirit and the love he had for his family and would have had for me.
Artist Biography
Ebony Iman Dallas is an artist, designer and community organizer born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK. Ebony is for her mother Viola Dallas from Oklahoma, Iman for her biological father Said Ibrahim Osman, originally from Somalia who passed away prior to her birth and Dallas is for her father Wayne Dallas, also from Oklahoma who raised her as his own. EID comes together to shape the woman and artist she is today. [..]
by Leyla Bile – Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 4:01pm
Watching the news media in the past few weeks I have felt exceedingly alienated with each day. I didn’t realize what effect all this negative propaganda had on me till I was sitting at work and a news item about the Cordoba center came on. I suddenly found myself feeling self conscious and I looked around at the people sitting at the tables. I tried to catch their eyes and read their thoughts. To see if they regarded me as an ‘other’ and all I was met with were eyes that looked passive. I steeled my heart because I realized that all over America people might be watching the same channel, and perhaps their eyes were as passive as the ones around me. [..]
By Salma Hussein
“Abaayo all I’m looking for is a good brother who is family oriented, does not party, and who is going to school, is that seriously too much to ask for?”Or “Saaxiib, I want a nice sister who is educated, cultured and religious and wants a family, I am not asking that much.”These are questions asked by both guys and girls alike. It had me thinking, if everyone is out looking for the right Halima and Farah what seems to be the problem? [..]
Abdi Farah, 22, of Dover, Pennsylvania is the winner of Bravo’s “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist” season 1.
As the winner, Abdi gets a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and a cash prize of $100,000.
Abdi said he is going to give his mom the full $100,000 and let her give him some money when he needs it. He was the youngest artist on the show and kept a positive attitude the whole time. The art world could do a lot worse than this talented and inspiring kid. [..]
By: Ato Shaair
Published August 8,2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota – Hassan Aden Samatar, the legendary Somali singer and one of the most famous Somali entertainers, received a lifetime achievement award from the Somali community in Minnesota in a tribute dinner and gala party held Saturday night in Minneapolis.
The award was presented to Samatar by Eagle Media and leaders of the Community. [..]
