Saj Issa is a Palestinian American artist born in St. Louis and raised between the Midwest and West Bank, Palestine.
Saj Issa received her BFA from Webster University and her MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her practice has garnered recognition, including the 2022 NCECA Graduate Student Fellowship and selection for the prestigious Great Rivers Biennial at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2024). Her work was featured on the cover of Artforum’s Summer 2024 issue, accompanied by an extensive portfolio exploring her artistic practice.
Issa has participated in artist residencies at Belger Crane Yard Studios in Kansas City and Craft Alliance in St. Louis. Her practice, noted for its thoughtful interrogation of cultural memory and identity, has attracted critical attention through interviews with Hyperallergic, Juxtapoz, and Khamsa Magazine, among others.
EDUCATION
2023 MFA, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
2017 BFA, Webster University, St. Louis, MO, USA
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2024 Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Great Rivers Biennial
2022, NCECA Graduate Student Fellow
2020, Artist’s Fellowship Inc. Grant
Department of Art Award
Laura F. Anderson Scholarship
Elizabeth Heller Mandell Memorial Scholarship
Luminary Arts Artist Grant
Foundations of Contemporary Arts
RESIDENCIES
2019, Belger Crane Studio Artist-In-Residence
2018, Craft Alliance Artist-In-Residence
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024, Your Refuge, PSA STL, St. Louis, MO, USA
2023, Evicted From The Hachoora, New Wight Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Exposed Remains, Albertz Benda, New York, NY, USA
2022, Americana Hamam, Albertz Benda, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Le Maximum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2019, Back Home in Your New Home, Kranzberg Art Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024, Painting in Real Time, Santa Ana, CA, USA
Luminary 10th Anniversary, The Luminary, St. Louis, MO, USA
In Bloom, Berlin, Germany
2023, Ruscha & Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Rostros, Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
I’ve Gone Looking For America, Murmurs Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2022, I Don’t Need It But I Want It, F2T Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Juntos, Tlaloc Studios, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Many, Craft Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA, USA
New Art Dealers Alliance, New York, NY, USA
Materials Fair, Mexico City, Mexico
American Architecture, Spy Projects, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Felix Art Fair, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2021, City Too Hot, 702 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2020, True/False Festival, Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO, USA
Artist-In-Residence Exhibition, Belger Crane Gallery, Kansas City, MO, USA
Residents Curate Residents, Belger Crane Gallery, Kansas City, MO, USA
March Exhibition, Sager Barnes Gallery, Columbia, MO, USA
2019, Gandee Cup Gallery, Syracuse, NY, USA
AIRs Show, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO, USA
Twin Cup Exhibition, MSWU Clay Guild, St. Joseph, MO, USA
Form Will Find its Way, NCECA 2019, Katherine E Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2018, 2018 Chicago Print Fair, Chicago, IL, USA
AIRs Anniversary Show, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO, USA
2017, The Year of The..., Arcade Gallery, St. Louis, MO, USA
Synecdoche, Arcade Gallery, St. Louis, MO, USA
2016, Sweet 16, Webster University, MO, USA
Art in Bloom, St. Louis Art Museum, MO, USA
Slurp!, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO, USA
Disappearance of Palestinian Folk Art, Webster University, MO, USA
Varsity Show, Art St. Louis, MO, USA
SELECTED PRESS
2024, Artforum, June Issue
The Office Magazine, Theo
2023, HyperAllergic, Interview with Sarah Wolfson
Khamsa Magazine, Interview with Nour Regaya
New American Paintings, MFA Annual Issue #165
New Cube, Interview with Molly Barnes
Arab News, Interview with Rawaa Talass
Juxtapoz Magazine Podcast, Interview with Evan Pricco
2022, UCLA Newsroom, Interview with Madeline Adamo
New American Paintings, MFA Edition #159
Nike Jordan Rebellionare
2019, Ceramics Monthly Magazine, Long-term Residence Artists
St. Louis Post Dispatch, STL Mug Market Press Release
CUT/PASTE, Radio Talk/Interview, STL Public Radio
St. Louis Post Dispatch, Back Home In Your New Home Press Release
St. Louis Magazine, Back Home In Your New Home Press Release
Form Will Find its Way, NCECA 2019
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
2019, Back Home In Your New Home with Kiki Salem
2018, For What?, Print Publication with WORK/PLAY
2016, Disappearance of Palestinian Folk Arts, Documentary Film with Sharif Eid