Hala Kusiak

Hala Kusiak | We Will Meet Again

Your journey began in a place where artistic freedom was limited. Can you describe what it felt like to create under those constraints, and how it shaped your voice today?

Creating under constraints where artistic freedom was limited felt like painting with invisible chains—every brushstroke required not just intention, but caution. For me, this early tension between expression and restriction became a defining force in her artistic evolution.

In such an environment, the canvas was more than a surface—it was a quiet act of resistance. With limited access to materials, mentors, and open critique, each creation carried a deeper weight. Art became a language of survival, of encoded emotion, and of dreams that couldn’t be spoken aloud.

This shaped my voice into one that is bold, deliberate, and fiercely symbolic. My work today is not only visually striking but emotionally charged—imbued with layered meanings that speak to freedom, identity, and the power of the unseen. My signature use of intense, balanced color and symbolic detail reflects an artist who once had to say everything without saying too much.

Now, my journey across borders—geographically and creatively—has transformed that early silence into a global voice that invites others to explore, feel, and awaken.

What was the turning point that led you to leave Baghdad and pursue your creative life abroad?

The turning point that led me to leave Baghdad and pursue my creative life abroad was a powerful convergence of inner restlessness and external limitations. Living in a place where expression was often constrained by societal norms, political tensions, and limited opportunities for artistic growth, I began to feel the walls closing in around my creativity.

There came a moment when the silence imposed on my art no longer felt survivable—it became clear that to grow as an artist and as a woman, I needed to step beyond the borders of comfort and tradition. It wasn’t a single event, but rather a slow-burning realization: that my voice, my vision, and my freedom would only truly flourish in a place where art could breathe without fear.

Leaving Baghdad was both a personal liberation and a creative rebirth. It meant walking away from the familiar, but it also meant stepping into possibility. In the journey abroad, I didn’t just find new colors and audiences—I found the unfiltered version of myself. That decision continues to shape my work today: art that bridges cultures, defies silence, and empowers others to claim their space and story.

Hala Kusiak | Observe Your Surroundings

Many of your works explore female empowerment and vulnerability. What does “emotional honesty” mean to you in your practice?

For me, emotional honesty means creating without a mask—letting the raw, unfiltered truths of being a woman pour onto the canvas, no matter how uncomfortable or complex they may be.

It’s about honoring both strength and softness, power and pain, without needing to choose one over the other. In my practice, emotional honesty is not just a theme—it’s a commitment. It means painting the moments that society often asks women to hide: heartbreak, anger, longing, self-doubt, and resilience. It’s the quiet courage of exposing the inner world in full color, knowing that vulnerability is not weakness, but the foundation of authentic connection.

This honesty is visible in my bold contrasts, layered textures, and symbolic motifs—each work acting as both confession and conversation. For me, emotional honesty is how healing begins. It’s how silence is broken, how strength is redefined, and how viewers—especially women—are invited to see their own reflection in my story.

Hala Kusiak | Mold Me

Which of your works feels most personal to you, and why?

I will mention 2 artworks, but there are more.“Our Monster” because it helps me realize the good side and the bad side in myself and others and allows me to understand that the bad side can come across so sweet sometimes! We should be careful!

“Come To My Bed” because it is such a powerful feeling when you are intimate with the one you are in love with.

Hala Kusiak | Intimate And Free

How does mentorship influence your own growth as an artist?

I’m deeply grateful to my art mentor, Boris Garbe, owner of Mills Art Gallery in Orlando, FL. Boris has been more than a teacher—he’s been a true guide and friend on my artistic journey. He inspired me, believed in me, and taught me how to express myself, present my work with confidence, and grow both creatively and professionally. From sharing the ins and outs of the art world to opening the doors of his gallery as a space to learn, explore, and simply be—his support has meant the world to me. I carry his wisdom with me every step of the way.