Bio
Ava Maken Ali is an Iranian-American visual artist, educator, and scholar. Her interdisciplinary
practice engages feminist praxis, focusing on female rage explored through humor, ambiguity,
and the conceptual use of non-human animals. Working across both traditional (e.g., drawing,
installation, performance, basic photo/video editing, and exhibitions) and expanded forms (e.g.,
writing as creative practice, publication as artistic act, research as performance), she approaches
art, pedagogy, and research as intertwined creative practices—questioning radical possibilities of
what research can be while exploring how difficult art functions in the field of Art Education.
Ava’s work has appeared on platforms such as the cover of the Journal of Curriculum and
Pedagogy and in sections of Visual Arts Research and The Educational Forum. Her work has
also been exhibited in spaces such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA). She
also has several years of jurying experience, including for the National Art Education Association
(NAEA) for its National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and National Junior Art Honor Society
(NJAHS).
Website: avamakenali.com