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Visual Arts

Behind the Art: “Addict and Betrayer”

By Hung-Chi Chen

Hung-Chi Chen's “Addict and Betrayer” is the cover art of WWB's June 2021 issue: The Queer Issue XII.Many of my works explore desire, observing the unique attributes…

Translated by Jeremy Tiang

“A Generation Without Substitute”: Galicia’s Supernatural Grannies

By Alexander Aguayo

This month’s issue of Words Without Borders is graced by the art of Galician muralist Joseba Muruzábal, also known as Yoseba MP. The piece, Leiterofilia II, is one of a series of…

Translated from Spanish by Alexander Aguayo

Multilingual

Behind the Art: “The Butterfly Effect”

By Yasmeen Abdullah

We were delighted, and intrigued, when artist Yasmeen Abdullah told us her painting “The Butterfly Effect,” the cover art for our December 2020 issue of writing by Sudanese women, was based…

Behind the Art: “Rose of Sapatão”

By Nilbar Güreş

Nilbar Güreş's “Rose of Sapatão” is the cover art for the June 2020 issue: The Queer Issue XI.During the last months, I’ve been painting at my home studio, which…

Photographing the Amazon: An Interview with Eliseu Cavalcante

By Words Without Borders

We spoke with Brazilian photographer Eliseu Cavalcante—whose work focuses on marginalized groups, environmental issues, and social change—about his photo series documenting life in the Amazon,…

“we are we”

By Noémi Lefebvre & Laurent Grappe

Reflecting on Nationalist Discourse through Film“we are we” is a short film based on a text by Noémi Lefebvre, created with Laurent Grappe for a series of Lancaster Litfest events on the theme of “Found…

Translated by Sophie Lewis

Behind the Art: “FamilienKern”

By Marcela Trujillo

Marcela Trujillo’s “FamilienKern” is the cover art for the April 2019 issue: Behind Closed Doors: Chilean Stories of Domestic Life.I painted “FamilienKern” in 2008 when…

PÒTOPRENS: Translating Place at the Urban Artists of Port-au-Prince Exhibit

By Susannah Greenblatt

Susannah Greenblatt toured the recent Pioneer Works exhibition PÒTOPRENS: The Urban Artists of Port-au-Prince with writer-in-residence Joshua Jelly-Schapiro. They discussed the artworks featured…

Behind the Art: “Women and Bicycles”

Our cover art this month, “Women and Bicycles,” comes from Tejubehan’s Drawing from the City (Tara Books PVT LTD). Born in Rajasthan, Teju and her husband Ganesh belonged to a community…

Behind the Art: “untitled self-portrait (time for tea)”

Việt Lê’s untitled self-portrait (time for tea) is the cover art for the June 2018 issue of Words without Borders: The Queer Issue IX.Passing stranger! you do not…

Tarsila do Amaral: Translating Modernism in Brazil

By Elisa Wouk Almino

Translator Elisa Wouk Almino explores the narrative and historical context for Brazilian painter Tarsila do Amaral’s work, which is being exhibited through June 3 at the Museum of Modern Art in…

Behind the Art: “Chasing Dreams”

By Saba Farhoudnia

Saba Farhoudnia’s painting, “Chasing Dreams,” is the cover art for the November 2017 issue of Words without Borders: Within (and Without) These Borders: Writing from the US.“. . . All immigrants are artists…