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"Reality," 2020. Oil on canvas over panel. 30 x 40 in.
"Moments IV," 2020. Oil on canvas. 18 x 24 in.
 
"Reality," 2020. Oil on canvas over panel. 30 x 40 in.
"Moments IV," 2020. Oil on canvas. 18 x 24 in.
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Khadijah Jordan
Painting + Drawing, Human Centered Design & Engineering

In my work, I use art to explore the relationship between everyday experiences and physical laws. I began with works that capture small snapshots of mundane scenes which one would not typically spend much time thinking about. I wanted to build awareness and drive discussion about how these elements in our lives operate in spaces that humans have built. Later, I incorporated methods of representing the passage of time into my painting process by physically shifting my point of view or purposefully moving items in my setup.

My most recent work explores unifying scientific and mathematical concepts with more emotional and psychological ones. I want to weave together ideas such as different points of view, the perception of touch, homesickness, or the ripple effect of making choices, all through the lens of what many consider the core and unshakable laws of our universe, like the building blocks of matter, the progression of time, and quantum mechanics. This was driven by my fascination with the strangeness of realities, physics in the natural world, and how I interpret my experiences through a logical and scientific lens. In these works, I want to create surreal scenes with familiar imagery but with subtle discordant moments that cause the viewer to stop and question what they are seeing. As I continue to build this body of work, I hope to create a more concrete visual language that can capture the emotional and logical aspects of my pieces.


Khadijah Jordan was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1997 but grew up just south of Seattle in the small town of Des Moines. Khadijah has always held a fascination for the inner workings of the world around her, with a particular interest in exploring elements involving physics and mathematics. She’s also had a drive for making, from quick drawings to ceramic sculptures and digital painting. However, it was not until her time in college when an intersection of these artistic and scientific ideas came together. Prior to studying at the University of Washington, Khadijah worked in traditional and digital drawing mediums that were readily available to her. But, as her studies continued, Khadijah decided to double-degree in both the Arts and Human Centered Design & Engineering. Wanting to broaden her drawing skills, she entered the drawing and painting program. There, Khadijah was introduced to oil painting, a medium she immediately felt a connection with. While building her technical skills in oil painting, Khadijah began using art as an experimental outlet to explore more scientific concepts. Currently her work uses representations of various fundamental science concepts both in the imagery and the painting process.