Salma Jamjoom
Self Affirmation, 2020
Oil on loose canvas, 80 x 56 inches
Sally Piece, 2021
Oil on loose canvas, 60 x 42 inches
Seduce Yourself-5, 2021
oil on artist panel, 24 x 30 inches
Seduce Yourself-3, 2021
oil on artist panel, 24 x 30 inches
Seduce Yourself-2, 2021
oil on artist panel, 24 x 30 inches
Seduce Yourself-1, 2021
oil on artist panel, 24 x 30 inches
Seduce Yourself-4, 2021
oil on artist panel, 24 x 30 inches
Salma Jamjoom
My art explores sexuality and femininity through the lens of rebellion. My rebellion symbolizes a rejection of the suppression of the natural female form. Having grown up in the Middle East, where extreme conservatism of the female body is the norm, I began creating art that rejected that norm. My work is a reclamation of feminine sexuality, and a self-liberating act of self-love in the exposure of the nude female form. I like to focus on the healing impact of visualizing the female body as art and choosing to reclaim suppressed attributes in the unveiling of the body.
While exploring the nudity of the female form in my art, I simultaneously explore the sacredness of taboos. I am interested in the things that lie beneath the veil that is often an inherent human desire; whether that be nudity, sex, self-pleasure, or blood from monthly periods. My work explores how natural all these things are. The motivations behind my art come from a desire to dissipate the shame surrounding sexuality and normalize the deep vulnerability of self-exploration.
My series of oil paintings titled “Seduce Yourself” highlights my journey of rediscovering my sexuality and body in a way that empowers me. In my art, I explore using myself as a symbol of vulnerability while also healing my relationship to my body through painting it. On one end, I am doing it to save myself. On another end, I am making a statement: “I get to be free in my body”. The paintings are meant to be bold, vulgar, and profane.
The painting titled “Affirmation Piece” brings in a softer and gentler approach to my journey of self-love and reclamation. The concealed outline of the figure, surrendering to the empowering words of affirmation, is painted in pink and purple to evoke peace and comfort in my body.