Curated by Melissa Chimera, THE FAR SHORE in 2018 showcased the work of five visual artists and five poets paired in this exhibition at the Arab American National Museum. The poets and artists are either immigrants from Arab countries or descendants of immigrants. Chimera’s work was exhibited beside her mother Adele Ne Jame’s poems which is centered on their Lebanese ancestors who immigrated to the northeast United States before WWI. Collectively, their families’ journeys embody the varied and long history of Arab immigration to the United States.

Prior to the end of World War I in November 1918, immigrants from Arab countries came to the U.S. mainly for economic reasons. Following the war, many Arab countries experienced a long period of colonial occupation and upheaval. The resulting migrations across shifting borders and the development of new identities and affiliations is reflected in the artwork here.

The pieces work alongside each other, exploring the themes of migration, displacement and survival–past and present. These interactions invite reflection on the experience of Arab migrants today, a century after WWI.