More than Masks

Issra Hashim is a curatorial intern at the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA). After completing her undergraduate degree in Archaeology and Religion at SOAS University of London, Issra decided to pursue her interest in African art before attending graduate school.

As a curatorial intern, Issra worked on a variety of projects, such as researching potential museum acquisitions, and the laws governing their purchase. Recently, she completed a two-month long project where she compiled the acquisitions laws for all 54 African countries. Navigating the legal dimension of acquisitions expanded upon her other work to identify variables such as the origin, time period, artist, and value for specific works.

Issra anticipates continuing to study of African art after her internship ends. Although it is often categorized as either “tribal” or “contemporary” work, African art contains much more complexity. For Issra, the works in the NMAfA are not merely artifacts, but a new way to see the world.