Join us at Mason Exhibitions Arlington on October 25, 5-7pm for a Poetry Reading with Holly Mason Badra and Zhawen Shali.

Authors Holly Mason Badra (Sleeping in the Courtyard) and Zhawen Shali will read from their books and discuss cultural and artist production and erasure/appropriation in relation to Kurdish communities. The authors will also respond to artworks in the exhibition.

Questions should be emailed to Alissa Maru (amaru@gmu.edu)

Kî me Ez? - Who Am I?
Contemporary Kurdish Art in Diaspora

September 5 - October 25, 2025
Mason Exhibitions Arlington

The Kurdish experience is often marked by oppressive measures like militarized displacement, linguicide, genocide, gender-based violence, imprisonment by the state for cultural and artistic expression, and exiled artists, writers, and activists. Kurdish identity is built upon the rubble, yes, but also within abundance, too. Within this kaleidoscopic reality, Kî me Ez asks our Kurdish artists to take on this existential question: Who Am I?

The collection’s theme grows out of the poem “Kî me Ez” by Cegerxwin, which contemplates Kurdish identity. Moving beyond stereotypical ideas and monolithic understandings, Kî me Ez seeks to offer a depiction of the multifaceted experiences and narratives that exemplify Kurdish existence.