Glasstire Highlights Arab American Artists for National Heritage Month

Glasstire is marking National Arab American Heritage Month by featuring articles about Arab American artists and cultural expressions. The heritage month was established in 2017 by Arab America and the Arab America Foundation, building on earlier efforts dating to 1989. President Joe Biden formally recognized the observance in 2022 and issued a proclamation in 2023. Recent coverage includes a report on the new Ismaili Center in Houston, which opened earlier this year and features contemporary art from various cultures, including works by Raheleh Filsoofi, Noor Ali Changani, and Ismail Gulgee. Filsoofi's installation incorporates a traditional Kermani rug and a four-stringed instrument. In fall 2025, a review covered Nadia Al-Khalifah's solo exhibition 'Well, I'll Be Damned' at Stinson House in Houston, which explored personal relationships through portraiture. An August 2025 essay by Bismah Shaikh examined Islamic coffeehouses in Texas as cultural spaces displaying visual art. In 2023, a review discussed 'A Banquet for Seaweed: Snapshots from the Arab 1980s' at the University of North Texas, curated by Dr. Nada Shabout, featuring artists from eight Arab countries. An August 2022 interview with Dallas-based Pakistani artist Simeen Farhat highlighted her text-based sculptures using poetry in multiple languages. In 2018, Christopher Blay wrote about Kamrooz Aram's solo exhibition at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, which challenged perceptions of non-Western art.