Spring means: SXSW, Liberace Nation, and Persian New Years

It’s been so long since I last updated! You can always check my Tumblr for recent photos!

Other than a few community art shows here & there, I’ve been working under-the-radar. That is, until South By South West. Since I got back and edited the almost 3000 photos, some have been posted on BUST, there’s a slideshow on Queerty, style shots up at the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and a recap of the whole she-bang (including a whole page of queer music!!) is up on Autostraddle.

Meanwhile,  I’ve been working on a glittering, draping, easy-chic clothing line with my best friend VAUNT– it’s called “Liberace Nation” and it should launch super-duper-soon– check the website for behind-the-scenes photos & a manifesto!

Last of all, it was Persian New Years! Eid Mubarak! May this year kick last year’s ass. xo

Winter wonders: Dazed Digital, Autostraddle, Art Basel, Rachel Maddow, & more!

Where in the world haven’t I been lately? I’ve been travelling up and down the east coast on a merry round of adventures. I wound up in Miami shooting an event for Moleskine, 

an cardboard gun installation for Dazed Digital,

 and a queer guide for Autostraddle!

I also managed to get portraits of so many kick-ass female artists: Hadyen Dunham, Toyin Odutola, Shantell Martin, & more… Oh- and RACHEL MADDOW, my idol.

So much coming up in 2013! Stay tuned!

Nicky da B, Obama, Brooklyn Museum, Czech Gallery: Fall-ing into Madness

It’s been a while since I updated, but over the past few months, I’ve been all over the map! From performing on stage at House of Vans, to taking photos at the Democratic National Convention, to coordinating the first ever Brooklyn-wide open studio with the Brooklyn Museum… I haven’t taken a break in eons.

First, the performance at hot festival was a blast! I did my first  improv dance and sang a ton of songs w/ Natti.

Two days later, I had a piece in “Natural Fallacy”- my first DC group show!

Then in August, I found myself performing on stage with Nicky Da B & King Khan & the Shrines at House of Vans! We got sweaty and covered in confetti. You should have been there!

September rolls around and I’m whisked away to the DNC to see one of the most epic political conventions ever.

And then back to Brooklyn for Go Brooklyn Art open studio project, hosted by the Brooklyn Museum. I spent the entire summer coordinating all the Bed-Stuy artists & voters. The same weekend, my first digital art show popped up on an online gallery for a Czech Atelier. Back story: a Czech student received one of my postcards and decided to use my work to curate her thesis show– click on the photos for more!

Other than that, my interview was featured on Mouth of the Lion, and I was spotted by the Velvetroper at a Gawker event! Phew! What’s next, fall?

TOMORROW: Natti Vogel & Najva Sol play Hot! Festival & Let Bloom EP Release!

Natti Vogel & Najva Sol “Let Bloom”

 

You are Cordially invited to the

Let Bloom Album Release Event

 part of the Hot! Festival

Enjoy a Magical Wedding Party

W/ Music from Natti Vogel & Najva Sol

Accompanied by rock band & string quartet

Comedy courtesy of Jenne Jaffe

Fashion by Samantha Sleeper

Nupital Rites by the Encouraging Priestess

July 12th // 7PM-9PM // Dixon Place Theatre

Tickets HERE

Lomography Gallery Show June 7th!

Transmography
Thirteen Fairytale Portraits of Queers Beyond the Gender Binary
by Molly Crabapple and Najva Sol

Transmogrify,Verb:
To transform, esp. in a surprising or magical manner

From poets to porn-stars, computer nerds to community gardeners, artists to activists: these portraits capture some of the real gender warriors today. They are trans, genderqueer, or just gender-fabulous, and they deserve their own magical realm.

Each portrait was shot by me with a lomo camera, then embellished by Molly Crabapple.  Show sponsored by Lomography.  Hope to see some of you at the New York opening!

Show Opens At Lomography stores in New York AND San Francisco
June 7th at 6- 9pm

New York Lomography Store: Facebook invite
41 West 8th Street
Manhattan, NY 10011
212-529-4351

San Fran Lomography Store: Facebook invite
309 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-248-0096

Northeast Tour with Heels on Wheels!

If you missed seeing me last month on the Love, Inshallah Book Tour, this is your second chance to see me read the story the Washington Post was so excited about- and catch me in a polaroid costume! I’m touring the Northeast (Hampshire College, Boston, Providence, Jersey City, Baltimore, UMD, DC, Philadelphia, & NYC) with a dazzling cabaret of the femme(inine) spectrum- glitter & heels included!

If you’re interested in attending, get discount tickets & rad swag by supporting the tour on Kickstarter!

Click below for full tour info!

Something New in NYC

Where have I been and where am I going?

Well, this is tomorrow, and I’ve been working around the clock (amidst moving back to Brooklyn) to bring this bit of magic to you. Special pseudo-secret guest reader Jennifer Blowdryer just announced!

Something New is an underground creative showcase featuring a monthly hand-picked roster of our favorite brilliant creators from the NYC and surrounding areas.

Our first event is coming up on Tuesday, March 27th and is called “Dress Up / Get Down”. Check your press badges at the door – this is a night celebrating theother side of fashion. The side that’s not sponsored by a multi-million dollar car company; the side of fashion that’s happening in sewing studios and on the streets. We’re celebrating one of our favorite media: wearable art.

So what to expect?

Host and nightlife maverick Leo Gugu Geaux, avant-garde monster burlesque by Laura McMillan, cheeky readings from Thought Catalog editor Ryan O’Connell, a spandex circus runway show by Third Earth Designs, performance and videos by Andrea Diodati and Occupy Fashion Week, stylish rhyme-spitter Mykki Blanco, booty-short bumpin’ DJ Nolita Selector, and cosmopolitan cabaret by Rococo Caine.  We’ll also have local designers, including Klub Kid Vintage, prancing around in fresh duds, a mini pop-up shop, and a faux-shion contest with prizes donated by photographers, and local boutiques and event sponsors AUH2O, Yours Truly Brand and Uncropped Magazine.

Guests are encouraged to use this opportunity to show the world their inner-beauty, personality, and impeccable taste. Save the date, and get ready to dress up and get down!

PS. Here’s an insider tip: for your personal invite and a secret code to get reduced admission, RSVP at SomethingNewNY.com

Tour Dates Added, Autostraddle, Lilypad Performance!

It’s been a busy month in the Najva Sol-verse. But here’s the updates:

1. Tour dates have been added to the Love, Inshallah  book tour! The feedback has been absolutely *breathtaking* and I’m proud to announce that I’ll be reading at:

HARVARD (Cambridge)- Feb 13th, COLUMBIA (NYC)- Feb 15th, BLUESTOCKINGS (NYC)- Feb 16th, and BUSBOYS & POETS (DC)- Feb 20th.

2. Autrostraddle included my work in a post called “Art Attack: 100 Queer Women Artists in Your Face!”- next to a mix of goddesses Catherine Opie & Frida Khalo, and other google-worthy emerging artists. I’m number 21- with a Lomography photo of  Katie, the  Babes of NPR blog-mastermind.

3. I’m playing a show with my Let Bloom EP partner-in-song Natti Vogel at the Lilypad in BOSTON this SUNDAY FEB 12th.  More information on the show is available here.

I’ve been counting so many lucky stars that I’m amassing galaxies in my pockets.

Gowanus Art Fair, Voice of America x Love, InshAllah book tour

2012 is turning out to be a busy year!

-First things first, this Saturday night in Brooklyn I’m a featured video artist at the Gowanus Art Fair thrown by  Collective BK with Lowbrow Society‘s own Gwynn Galitzer. It promises to be an unmissable night of one-act plays, local bands, visual art, burlesque, and endless surprises held at the 12,000-square-foot steel mill turned artists space, Gowanus Ballroom.

[film still from "Somewhere Elsewhere" 2011

-Second, despite multiple brushes with Voice of America Iran (I made a visit to spit-fire comedy & politics show Parazit’s live taping  & have cameo in the Mapriya Art segment)- I haven’t ever been a main subject of a piece. That is, till today! Wonderful vegan filmmaker Arash  interviewed me as part of a piece about the Love, InshAllah anthology. We drank fresh veggie juice, talked about queerness & Islam, and chatted about my story “The First Time.”

-Which leads me to….Love, InshAllah book release events on the east coast are being announced. Current dates: Harvard University (MA)/ Feb. 13th + Bluestockings Bookstore (NY)/Feb 16th. I’ll update with more info ASAP!

-Lastly, if you want a daily dose of art- I’m still updating my Tumblr with photos all the time. Happy browsing!

2012 Begins

There are more projects in the works than I can mention here, but suffice it say that 2012 is brimming with possibility.

Meanwhile, my entire Coco and Breezy shoot is up on my Tumblr.

Also, just last week, I got to visit the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and see  a piece I helped with at Elsewhere Collaborative  on display as part of the “Here” exhibit . 

More photos of the piece can be found on my facebook!

Welcome to the future!