In today’s world it is very common for people to take refuge in music and art to escape their day-to-day burdens. Many people may not know that a number of the world’s prominent artists are culturally fluid.
Comedian Ahmed Ahmed
In the world of comedy, Ahmed Ahmed has been making people laugh for years, but his unique upbringing lets him use Egyptian style in a U.S. joke. He was born and raised in Egypt and then emigrated to the United States, giving him a whole new culture to live in.
Being an immigrant, Ahmed is able to see the world through a different lens which gives him a unique take on comedy shows. He says that “comedy and laughter are culturally fluid.” He proves this by performing the same shows in the United States as well as the Middle East, which is very impressive.
Overall, Ahmed Ahmed is changing the way of comedy being an immigrant leading the way for others to follow his path.
Artist Julie Mehretu
Julie Mehretu is leading the way as a culturally fluid artist who is making a big name for herself. She was born in Ethiopia to an Ethiopian father and a U.S. mother, making her multicultural. She grew up in a household that was multicultural before she moved to the United States, where she continued to have that aspect of her life.
In 2020, Mehretu was on the list for Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people which is a huge accomplishment. She is known for her abstract art which is shown below.
She is mostly known for being an “American” contemporary artist but that is leaving out half of what makes her who she is.
Cross-cultural connections
Overall, Julie Mehretu and Ahmed Ahmed are changing the landscape of the art world by bringing cross-cultural connections into the mainstream.
These two people are just a small example of the huge number of culturally fluid people making a mark on this world; if you go out and look you will find a new artist you will love.
