The Moody Center for the Arts presents the work of Hayv Kahraman in "The Foreign in Us," the artist’s first solo exhibition in Texas. The presentation includes new and recent works informed by the artist’s Iraqi-Kurdish heritage and experience as a refugee while highlighting her research-driven practice. Through her profound imagery and investigation into the decolonization of the body and nature, Kahraman challenges fear and apprehension of otherness, advocating instead for compassion and acceptance.

In the artist's unique compositions, questions inspired by immunology and microbiology, as well as history, are approached through the lens of the othered body, often represented in contortionist postures as a means to interrogate normative gender constructions and racial stereotypes that can adversely affect migrant groups. This conceptual focus and innovative practice are presented through a selection of more than forty paintings and drawings from public and private collections in the United States and abroad. In addition to several large-scale canvases, the exhibition will feature intimate drawings that demonstrate the artist’s meticulous draftsmanship and mastery of line and color.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on display until May 11, 2024.