All photos by Razan Elbaba
On Tuesday, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers announced the winners of the 2016 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. This prestigious award has been given every year since 1923, and is “the nation’s longest running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for students in grades 7-12”. There are both regional and national awards given, but only 8 writing and 8 art portfolios get selected each year for national recognition and a $10,000 scholarship. The award has a history of acclaimed recipients including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Stephan King, and Lena Dunham and now, Oakton student Razan Elbaba has joined their ranks. She is the first female from Fairfax County to receive this award since its introduction in 1923, and Elbaba’s work was one of the 8 art portfolios chosen out of 320,000 submissions from around the country. Said Elbaba about the award, “it was very unexpected, but it’s a really great position to hold, and I feel very proudly of it”.
Breaking News
Girl Talk
Razan Elbaba’s portfolio is visually striking, and you can tell how much work she put into each piece just by looking at them. The inspiration for most of Elbaba’s photographs comes from the stereotypes that are often placed upon Muslims. For her portfolio, she shot a series of portraits of Muslim girls who wear the hijab, then made them each unique and eye-catching through her use of mixed media. Elbaba said about her photos, “I like to say that my photos tell different stories, and because of the stigma around American Muslims right now, I try to dispel the myths and the stereotypes… and I try to educate people on the true meaning of my religion…and that goal is to spark positive change in the world.” Not only is her message meaningful and heartfelt, but by Elbaba winning this award, she hopes to inspire other girls to aspire to the same goal. Because she is the first girl to do so in Fairfax County, Elbaba said “If I can do it, then they can do it too.”
Make A Mark
Silhouette
Elbaba first got into photography when she took Photography 1 as a freshman at Oakton High School. During that class, she discovered the feeling of being behind the camera instead of in front of it, and fell in love with the idea of creating the photo herself. Elbaba found her passion in mixed media, where the photo is not the only medium used in the piece. In her portfolio, Elbaba used things like newspaper clippings, colorful fabrics, cutouts, and even googly eyes to add a new dimension to her photographs. Elbaba “[has] a vision in [her] head”, and just tries again and again until she gets the shot that she wants, but the actual creation of her mixed media work takes much longer. She carefully selects the media she wants to incorporate and chooses a title and inspiration for each piece. When asked to choose a favorite photograph, Elbaba said,” They’re all my kids, and I have a different bond with each of them. They each have a story and a different process…I just can’t pick one, all of them [are my favorite].” Razan is “85% sure” that she will go to a school in New York City for photography and design this fall. With her creative vision and amazing skills, she is sure to forge a path for herself in the photography field.
Real Eyes, Realize, Real Eyes I
Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies II
The Only Reflection
