Artist Esther Elia working in her studio, combining visual art with heritage-inspired symbols and faces influenced by the civilizations of Mesopotamia in works that explore cultural memory and identity. Photo credit: Esther Elia – Used with the artist’s prior permission for Ishtartv.com.

From Mexican-tile Lamassu sculptures to paintings and textiles inspired by everyday life, an artist of Assyrian-Irish heritage offers an artistic vision affirming that Assyrian culture is not merely a legacy of the past, but a living identity continually evolving across the diaspora.

Ishtartv.com – Culture & Arts

The art, design and visual culture publication Colossal has highlighted the work of artist Esther Elia, an American artist of Assyrian and Irish heritage who explores Assyrian identity and heritage through contemporary artworks combining sculpture, painting, textiles and design. Her work seeks to highlight the continuity and evolution of Assyrian culture beyond its historical homeland.

In a report published on November 3, 2026, titled “Assyria Is Anything But an Ancient Past in Esther Elia’s Embodiments of Contemporary Diasporic Deities,” writer Kate Mothes examines the artist’s approach to ancient Assyrian symbols as living elements that can be reinterpreted to express the contemporary experiences of Assyrians in the diaspora.

Elia is presenting her new solo exhibition, titled “Bazaar Ashuraya,” at Hecho a Mano Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, from November 6 to 29, 2026.

Lamassu: Ancient Assyrian Guardians Reimagined

In her work, the artist revisits the Lamassu, the winged protective figures with human heads and the bodies of bulls or lions, which were associated with ancient Assyrian art and civilization. Traditionally placed at the entrances of cities and palaces to protect them, these figures remain among the most prominent artistic symbols of Mesopotamian heritage.

However, Elia does not approach these symbols as static historical artifacts. Instead, she reinterprets them as contemporary sculptures, using Mexican tiles, construction materials and wood to create artworks that bring together ancient mythological features and modern design.

The artist has given these sculptures the title “Diasporic Deities,” reflecting the experience of Assyrian culture across displacement and diaspora. Some of the works are designed at nearly life-size scale, with wheels attached to their bases so they can be moved and adapted to different spaces.

Among the works featured in the report is “Malikta – Protective Deity,” created in 2023 using Mexican tiles, mortar, fastening materials, cement boards and plywood. The sculpture measures approximately 2.4 metres in height and width, with a depth of around 90 centimetres.

Her other works include “Lamassu Lamp,” “Miztanta – Protective Deity,” and “Palashta – Warrior Bodybuilder Deity.”

Home: Where Assyria Lives and Breathes

The concept of home occupies a central place in the Bazaar Ashuraya exhibition. Elia views the home as the space where Assyrian culture continues to live through language, food, customs and traditions, as well as everyday objects that carry the community’s collective memory and identity.

Colossal quoted the artist as saying:

“Home is where Assyria lives and breathes. It’s where our language is spoken. Even if we speak English, Arabic, Farsi, French, or Swedish outside of the home, home is where Assyrian food is cooked, Assyrian customs flourish, and culture is maintained, recreated, and pushed forward.”

The artist also explains that the lives of diaspora communities are reflected in their clothing, home furnishings and customs, as their original cultures blend with the new environments in which they live.

Through this approach, Elia seeks to present Assyrian identity not merely through the recovery of the past, but also by showing how culture continues to evolve through interaction with surrounding societies.

Paintings Blending Assyrian Heritage with Contemporary Fashion

The exhibition is not limited to sculptures. It also features a collection of acrylic paintings depicting Assyrian women in domestic settings, surrounded by elements inspired by traditional carpets, furniture and folk patterns.

In these paintings, the artist incorporates decorative motifs inspired by Persian rugs alongside contemporary clothing and modern fashion brands, creating an artistic dialogue between cultural memory, personal taste and everyday life.

Among these works are “Sharrat Wearing Adidas” and “Esther and Zahra Wearing Farm Rio,” along with other pieces featuring symbols and female figures associated with Assyrian identity.

Elia explains that the characters in her paintings are inspired by members of her family and friends. She chooses clothing and personal objects that reflect her own interests, presenting images of contemporary Assyrians who naturally live their culture within their homes and communities.

“Bazaar Ashuraya”: Assyrian Culture Between Memory and the Future

The Bazaar Ashuraya exhibition brings together sculpture, painting, fashion and household objects, presenting a vision that demonstrates how Assyrian heritage can endure and evolve. Its diverse works affirm that cultural identity remains connected to the everyday lives of new generations.

The exhibition is scheduled to run at Hecho a Mano Gallery in Santa Fe from November 6 to 29, 2026.

Esther Elia has also been selected as a 2027 Artist-in-Residence in the Arts/Industry program, run by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Kohler Co. The residency program provides artists with opportunities to develop their work through experimentation and the use of different materials and techniques.

Elia’s work highlights the importance of art in preserving Assyrian identity in the diaspora, not only by recreating historical symbols, but also by presenting them through a contemporary visual language that connects younger generations with their cultural roots. Her work demonstrates that Assyria is not merely a civilization rooted in ancient history, but a living culture that continues to create, evolve and renew itself.