The “Illegible” project consists of a series of works in acrylic and mixed media that explore themes of immigration, cultural difference, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. “Illegible” is a dance between language and communicability. In these artworks, Zaman utilizes the three different languages that make up his identity – English, as an American citizen, Bengali, the language of his fatherland, and Arabic, the language of his religion – juxtaposing different layers of color and text that make the work illegible.

The titles of each individual artwork create a path of meaning that viewers can break down, rebuild, or follow. Viewers’ curiosity in decoding a message within these works, supports the importance of mutual respect despite the difficulty of communication.

Content and images sourced from WNY Book Arts Center.