Nerian Keywan

Nara surrounded by strange replicas of herself

Nerian is a Palestinian visual artist currently based in London. She comes from a diverse educational background with two undergraduate degrees in Visual Communication and Philosophy and History of Art (BA). She started experimenting with moving image in 2015 during her undergrad in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, creating gifs and trying to integrate moving image projects wherever she could. Eventually, her work was featured in GIPHY and Vice alongside other media platforms and on-site group projections.

Her independent professional work started in 2018 where she worked with commercial and independent media outlets as an illustrator and animation director. In 2020 she directed and animated her first short film Sometimes, in my dreams…; a collaborative work with sound artist and musician Muhammad Abu Ahmad. In 2022 she directed and animated a music video Yaba in collaboration with the same artist.

Nerian Keywan's statement image call me if you get lost thanks

I explore themes of belonging, devastation, joy, selfhood, isolation and hope in the context of a politically nuanced mundaneness. I am drawn to demonic and fantastical creatures depictions in Islamic miniatures, which inspires my character design.

In "A Bloody Situation" I delve into the realms of surrealism and symbolism to explore themes of femininity and coming of age. Through mundane, yet surreal and somewhat awkward, interactions. Through a visual narrative that combines elements of mystery, ambiguity, and familiarity, combined with a humorous dialogue. My aim was to create a level of uncanniness to the imagery by inviting viewers to slowly, and subtly, unravel the political nuances of a personal experience.