Amin Amir ( so, Amiin Caamir, ar, أمين عامر) is a Somali-

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

cartoonist and painter.

Personal life

Amir was born between 1959 and 1960 in

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

. After the start of the civil war in the early 1990s, he moved abroad, living in various countries. In 2000, Amir emigrated to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. His family later settled in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

in 2006.

Career

Amir is a prominent visual artist within the Somali community. He works in a variety of genres, with his political cartoons being especially popular. Amir uses the

Somali language Somali (Latin script: ; Wadaad writing, Wadaad: ; Osmanya: 𐒖𐒍 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘 ) is an Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic languages, Cushitic branch. It is spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in ...

in his texts, as Somalis comprise his principal audience. His drawings and paintings typically employ satire and caricature to champion socio-political change in Somalia. They tap into a deep reservoir of personal knowledge and insight. Amir's art also often features nostalgic, hopeful scenes based on his formative years in the nation. Amir publishes his work under the professional sobriquet Amin Arts. His official website earns over a million hits a month. Additionally, Amir's political cartoons regularly appear in a number of major Somali media outlets, including Hiiraan Online. In 2010, Amir launched his first Canadian art exhibition at the Edmonton City Hall. The five paintings depicted key, personal moments in his life. Among these are his early forays drawing with charcoal, a time his wife saved his life, and reunification with his family at a local airport. Besides his own visual art, Amir also serves as a mentor for other cartoonists and painters. He plans to start a program for aspiring young artists in Edmonton, helping them to illustrate their emotions and ideas.

Awards

Amir has won various awards and recognition for his art. In 2004, Hiiraan Online named him its Person of the Year. He was also presented with an Award of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement by the Subiye Development Volunteers Organization and other NGOs. Additionally, Amir was a runner-up in the 2011 Hadaf Somalia International Cartoon Competition.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amir, Amin Living people Somalian emigrants to Canada Canadian contemporary painters Somalian contemporary artists 21st-century Canadian painters Canadian male painters Somalian painters Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Canadian male artists es:Amin Amir so:Amiir Caamir