The haunting, architecturally inspired sculptures and drawings by Diana Al-Hadid (*1981 in Aleppo) have been shown in numerous international exhibitions. Born in Syria but raised in the United States, she is known for integrating aspects of Western and Islamic mythology to create gravity-defying works composed of layers of gypsum, steel, cardboard, wax, and paint. Employing motifs such as pipe organs, labyrinths, and spires, Al-Hadid produces references to Renaissance paintings and Gothic cathedrals whose seemingly painterly decay are reminiscent of the ruins of past civilizations. Assembling her large-scale sculptures, drawings, and bronzes for the first time in one volume, this book highlights the innovative methods through which Al-Hadid rediscovers influential, historical visual references and transports them into the present.  Exhibition schedule: Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina, February 9–May 5, 2013