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“Unnamed” | David Najib Kasir

Milwaukee, WI

Created in June 2025

Photos provided Andre Saint Louis (@andre.saint.louis)

This powerful new mural by Milwaukee-based artist David Najib Kasir brings intimate emotion and cultural richness to Black Cat Alley. In the piece, an Arab woman holds a young boy close, surrounded by vibrant leaves and swirling patterns. The result is a visual moment of tenderness, heritage, and connection.

As with much of Kasir’s work, the mural invites contemplation of themes like identity, displacement, and familial connection. It continues the artist’s tradition of incorporating visual elements from Middle Eastern art, especially Zellige-inspired patterns, to symbolize both cultural continuity and the fragility of holding onto heritage in the face of upheaval. His work is often layered with meaning, drawing from personal experiences and broader cultural narratives.

This is Kasir’s second mural in Black Cat Alley. His earlier piece, Fraction Mother, Subtract Children, explored the painful separation of family and the unspoken grief of war and loss. Its emotional weight continues in this new work, a testament to Kasir’s ongoing mission to humanize often-overlooked stories through visual art.

David Najib Kasir

David Najib Kasir is a Milwaukee-based painter known for weaving personal narratives and Arab cultural history into his work. His art draws from his family’s migration stories, his mother from Syria and his father from Iraq, layering Middle Eastern design with deeply human experiences of war, displacement, and love.

Kasir is known for dressing his figures in ornate, traditional Arab patterns, using them as both aesthetic elements and cultural signifiers. Through his work, he honors the beauty of Arab heritage and the strength of families striving to hold on to that culture.

A graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (BFA, Painting, 2001), Kasir has exhibited his work widely and continues to share his story and vision through public art, gallery work, and mentorship. He is also a proud father of two daughters, one of whom is following in his footsteps as an artist.

You can see more of his work on Instagram at @davidnajibkasir.