By Fazeena Saleem

Racism classism and feelings of otherness exist in every country and in every community — what varies is how each person handles those issues and communicates them to others.

Nastassja E Swift’s choice of communication is her work in art.

“I don’t see racism ending anytime soon considering how long it has existed but avoiding the conversation and trying to pretend as though it doesn’t exist isn’t a solution. These issues have to be addressed” said Swift. She is showcasing twelve pieces of her work at ‘I Keep Repeating It Over & Over In My Head’ being exhibited as part of Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQatar)’s Artists in Residence programme.

The unusual title of the exhibition refers to the feelings of doubt and anxiety felt by an individual who has been subjected to or experienced racism.

“I’ve experienced racism; therefore I am able to address it genuinely and honestly. It’s an issue that is important to me because it’s something that continues to affect me and I don’t think avoiding it is a solution. I made the decision a year ago to allow myself to be completely vulnerable and exposed to my viewers and share my personal experiences through the work as a form of communicating and addressing my opinion on racism” Swift told Doha Today.

The title is unique in a way that suggests feelings of anxiety reiteration redundancy and over thinking something.

Although ‘I Keep Repeating It Over & Over In My Head’ was not the first choice of Swift as title for the exhibition. Many other she chose something which is more relevant to her work and the message the work conveys.

“There are a number of things that I could be repeating over in my head and I like that the “it” in the title is kind of left open to interpretation. The title was an accidental title – I originally was considering “Assemble-d’ as an option for the name of the exhibition” said Swift.

“Through text I told Gina (the other artist in residence) ‘I think I figured out my title I keep repeating it over and over in my head.’ By ‘it’ I meant the title ‘Assemble-d’ however Gina misunderstood my text and thought it was the actual title. Initially I was against it and felt it was too long but I thought about what it means to constantly think about something. It was strange and weird and the more I thought about the title the more it made sense in reference to my work. In the end I felt like it was a much better choice and described perfectly my feelings towards this issue of identity struggles” she said.

In the exhibition the piece ‘Camouflaged’ addresses feelings of needing to obscure my version of blackness to exist within predominately white institutions and escape the idea of otherness.

“I’ve painted my skin with white paint so that I blend in with a light coloured object reflecting my feelings as a child of thinking it would be easier if I were lighter” said Swift.

‘Now You Can Touch My Hair’ satirically confronts the notion of black hair as a spectacle or something for others to pet and at the same time embracing the fact that sometimes the hair on head isn’t actually Swift’s.

“Pretty often I am asked Is that your real hair or a weave? Can I feel your hair? Why do black girls wear scarves on their hair at night? This piece is my response to the infatuation others have with black hair” she said.

Swift is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in Painting and Printmaking and a minor in Craft and Material Studies. She is the Co- Director of Mist Gallery an online art space that she and a fellow VCU graduate founded during their senior year. Although she began working as an oil painter and printmaker Nastassja has taken on fiber processes within her studio practice. In the past two years her work has been exhibited throughout the city of Richmond neighbouring cities in Virginia as well as Tennessee Maryland and Pennsylvania. Since receiving her degree Nastassja was awarded a fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center and is currently the BFA Artist in Residence at VCU Qatar in Doha where she is currently living and working.

‘I Keep Repeating It Over & Over In My Head’ is open to visitors until April 3 at the VCUQatar Gallery.

The next exhibition under VCUQatar’s Artists in Residence program Gina Hunt’s ‘Liquid Crystal + Polymer’ will open on April 10 at 6pm and runs to April 16. Hunt was inspired by the digital screens that are used in our daily lives such as laptops TVs mobile phones and other electronic equipment to create abstract paintings by using coloured translucent textiles.

The Peninsula