Bedtime Stories for Yuri is a series of appliqued tapestries Aneesa is creating for her two-year-old son, Yuri, which are visually inspired by vertical scrolls, Mughal paintings and Arabic calligraphy. These tapestries contain abstract illustrations referencing stories from her childhood and Arab ancestry that she wants to share with her son. This work is an emerging series exploring how one shares ancestral knowledge, life lessons and legacies with their children, both as a caregiver and an artist.

Recently, Aneesa’s practice has centered on explorations of her identity as a second-generation Arab American. She is interested in the innate human desire for storytelling, and much of her work revolves around the regenerative themes of life journeys, transformation and continual self reflection. Using reclaimed fabric samples from Los Angeles-based textile companies, Aneesa is able to create new worlds and stories with otherwise disregarded materials. Making while meditating is an important part of her practice as an artist and arts-based researcher, embedding her subconscious thought process into each piece while methodically hand stitching.

During her residency, Aneesa will continue building on her body of work and create new tapestries for the Bedtime Stories for Yuri series. She will also host a series of workshops centered around themes of parenthood/caregiving and healing generational trauma through crafting, sharing her techniques and creative process with the AANM community.