Rama Duwaji on Art, Politics, and Life as New York's First Lady

Rama Duwaji, a Texas-born Syrian-American artist, discussed her practice and new public role in an interview at Gracie Mansion. Her husband Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race in November 2024, making her first lady and thrusting her into the spotlight. Duwaji creates illustrations, animations, paintings on found materials like wood panels and cardboard, and ceramics. She has worked for the New Yorker, Tate Modern, and BBC. The artist views illustration and fine art as fundamentally similar, differing only in marketing. She believes all art is political and that her position makes her more committed to honest, complex work. Duwaji's diverse background—having lived in Texas, Dubai, Qatar, New Jersey, and New York—shapes her ability to connect with varied audiences. She addresses past harmful language from teenage tweets with regret. Female friendships are a central theme in her work. Ceramics, practiced for five years, offer a grounding counterpoint to two-dimensional illustration. Duwaji aims to explore intersections between ceramics, illustration, and animation in her new studio. She values accessible mediums like printmaking with container tops and drawing on cardboard boxes.