About Rusul

Bio

Rusul Emad is an Iraqi-Born artist. Raised in Baghdad, Rusul faced constant war and violence during her childhood, which had a profound and lasting impact on her work. In 2006, Rusul and her family finally managed to flee Iraq to the relative safety of Syria after a series of unpleasant events threatened her and her family’s life. Rusul settled as a refugee in the USA in 2008, opening the door for her to pursue art. After initially studying civil engineering and interior design, Rusul found her life’s passion as a fine art student and graduated with a BFA from Arizona state University in 2017 to start her career as an artist and share her works and story with art lovers.

Artist Statement

As a refugee, Rusul's journey has deeply influenced her artistic expression, adding layers of complexity and depth to her work. She constantly challenges herself to produce art that is both expressive and emotional, drawing from her own experiences of displacement, resilience, and hope. Her emphasis on storytelling through the vivid expression of dreams is central to her work, with a focus on symbolism that often appears in her paintings to depict the struggles of life, hope, success, and failure.

Rusul's work aims to be a mirror of emotions, using imagined characters—humans, creatures, animals, insects, and other objects—that often come to us in dreams. Her unique form of symbolism creates a magical environment that challenges viewers to use their imagination to interpret each painting for themselves. She carefully crafts compositions to complete each scene, making it easier for viewers to engage with her work.
Appreciating antiquity in all forms, Rusul frequently merges Eastern and Western cultural concepts and mythologies, often using this as a bridge to her dreamscapes. Her background as a refugee enriches these cultural fusions, bringing a unique perspective that reflects her journey across different worlds. Rusul primarily leverages oil on canvas or Masonite as her primary medium, creating a warm color palette that brings a vivid experience to her audience.

Through her art, Rusul not only tells her own story but also invites viewers to explore their own emotions and experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of the human condition.