Bio

Aneesa Shami Zizzo is a fiber artist attending to shared memory by intertwining personal history, Islamic folklore and the sublime in her practice. Born to an American mother and a Palestinian-Lebanese father, Zizzo often reflects on her Arab-American upbringing in post-9/11 suburban Kansas. By drawing from her childhood and personal experiences, she is able to explore broader narratives of human experience and cultural memory in her practice. 

Utilizing textile industry waste, such as discarded fabric samples and upholstery scraps, Zizzo’s work sheds light on societal systems contributing to waste and neglect. Her appliqued tapestries and soft sculpture assemblage straddle feelings of ruination and the possibility of renewal, illustrating the cyclical nature of history while echoing themes of resilience in the face of adversity. While methodically hand stitching and assembling each piece, Zizzo meditates on the process of constructing and reclaiming one’s identity. Embracing her cultural heritage and importance of one’s stewardship of ancestral knowledge are at the heart of her practice.

Zizzo holds Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in both Fiber and Art History from the Kansas City Art Institute. She was recently awarded an artist residency at the Arab American National Museum in May 2024, and was a Fellow for the Mildred’s Lane Attention Labs: Order of the Third Bird in 2015. Recent exhibitions include the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum in Long Beach, CA, the Craft in America Center in Los Angeles, CA, the California Center for the Arts Museum in Escondido, CA, and Studio 203 in Los Angeles, CA among others. She is a frequent volunteer at Able Arts Work in Long Beach, CA, where she collaborates with resident artists on various projects.

Contact

Email me at studio(at)aneesashami.com

Studio 203 LLC ATTN Aneesa Zizzo
6820 La Tijera Blvd
STE 201
Los Angeles, CA 90045