Amin Amir (, ) is a Somali-

Canadian Canadians () 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 their being ''C ...

cartoonist and painter.

Personal life

Amir was born between 1959 and 1960 in

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

. 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 Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. His family later settled in

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

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 is an Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic languages, Cushitic branch, primarily spoken by the Somalis, Somali people, native to Greater Somalia. It is an official language in Somalia, Somaliland, and Ethio ...

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 Edmonton City Hall is the home of the Edmonton City Council, municipal government of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Designed by Dub Architects, the building was completed in 1992. It was built to replace the former city hall designed by architect ...

. 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

{{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 Canadian people of Somali descent