Memory as a Moving Canvas
Jackie Milad
Jackie Milad, Courtesy of the Artist
Jackie Milad is a Baltimore-based artist whose work explores themes of cultural heritage, identity, and the complexities of diasporic experiences. With a multicultural background rooted in Egyptian and Honduran ancestry, she uses art as a medium to bridge the gap between her personal history and the broader narratives often overlooked in mainstream institutions. Milad’s large-scale abstract paintings and collages blend tactile fragments, diverse symbols, and vibrant colors, reflecting her mixed cultural upbringing. Her work has been showcased in museums across the US, and she is the recipient of the 2024 Creative Capital Grant, further solidifying her place in the contemporary art world. Here, DIVAZ chats with Milad about her fascinating journey.
How have your cultural experiences shaped your identity?
Growing up in Baltimore City with multicultural immigrant parents, I sought to connect my Egyptian and Honduran heritage to my life as a first-generation American. Despite frequent visits to museums, I rarely saw my ancestry represented, leaving me feeling disconnected. As a diasporic person, I wanted to learn about the complexities of my ancestors’ history through the objects in these museums, which motivates me to create work addressing the layers of dispersed heritage and multiethnic identity.
Why did you choose this artistic path and style? What kind of influences shaped your aesthetic?
Art has always been my calling, with my creative parents supporting my development. My life in a city, along with visits to Cairo and being surrounded by multiple media layers, strongly influenced my work, which is informed by the chaos of modern life. Having studied a mix of painting and performance art at art school, I often blend both disciplines in my work. The actions involved in painting and collaging large pieces often feel like dance or experimental movement to me. I intentionally create chaotic surfaces in my pieces with multiple layers and tactile fragments. My recent large abstract paintings on hand-dyed canvas and paper feature symbols from diverse sources. My color palette reflects influences from my grandparents’ home in Honduras, political graffiti in Cairo, and Western pop culture. This approach allows for different interpretations depending on the viewer’s perspective. My work collages my family’s cultures, embodying the diverse histories I wish museums would showcase. I recontextualize material from Western museums’ Egyptian and Central American collections and integrate them into my collages, reclaiming ancient objects. Each layer of my work reflects my decisions, labor, identity, and presence.
What’s next in your personal and professional journey?
I’m working on my first artist book to be released in late 2025. I also have a commission for a large-scale collaged painting that will be exhibited at the Walters Art Museum this March.
Who is your diva?
My late aunt Amira is my diva. She taught me how to laugh at myself, entertain, treat others with respect, and take pride in my Egyptian heritage. Furthermore, my mother instilled in me a strong work ethic and the importance of never giving up on a dream.