I wanted to tell a different kind of New York story, one that centers Muslim life, stillness, and spiritual reflection within the city’s chaos.
Noran Morsi
Egyptian New Yorker Noran Morsi celebrated and honored Ramadan throughout March by illustrating daily vignettes related to the holiday. “Ramadan in New York City” is a personal reflection on the experience of a 20-something Muslim fasting, working, and navigating life in NYC through thoughtful visuals. Morsi was inspired by the tradition of Ramadan TV series in the Middle East, where audiences tune in for a new episode each night. Similarly, Morsi shared a water color illustration to her Instagram each day throughout Ramadan, documenting the highs, struggles, and quiet moments of the holiday.
Morsi shares her thoughts on the series below.
What’s your experience been like being an Egyptian in New York? What’s your community like?
Being Egyptian in New York means holding a lot of dualities. There’s always a part of me that misses home, but there’s also a kind of freedom in shaping what home can mean here. The city is incredibly diverse, and while that can sometimes feel isolating, it’s also allowed me to find a unique, meaningful community. The Islamic Center at NYU (ICNYU) has played a big role in that. It’s been a spiritual and social anchor, especially during Ramadan. My community here is made up of fellow Egyptians, Muslims from all backgrounds, and artists navigating similar questions around identity, belonging, and faith.
There’s always a part of me that misses home, but there’s also a kind of freedom in shaping what home can mean here.
What inspired this project? When and why did you decide you wanted to share daily illustrations of your New York Ramadan experience?
The idea really started with a watercolor I made based on a photo taken at Domino Park during Ramadan. It was a group of friends with the Manhattan skyline behind us, right after Iftar and just before heading to a diner for suhoor. That night felt so joyful and full of connection. I made the painting as a gift, but it lingered with me. It made me realize how many moments like that exist during Ramadan here and how worth documenting they are.
This year, I decided to commit to a daily illustration practice as both a creative and spiritual discipline. Sharing it publicly felt like a way to invite others into that experience.
What was your overarching goal with this project? What ideas and themes are you trying to communicate through your illustrations?
I wanted to tell a different kind of New York story, one that centers Muslim life, stillness, and spiritual reflection within the city’s chaos. Through these illustrations, I’m exploring themes like belonging, ritual, gratitude, and the quiet moments that often go unnoticed. Ramadan isn’t just a series of big gatherings or dramatic spiritual shifts. It’s also walking home at night with a full heart, the way light hits a dinner table, or the rhythm of prayer in a tiny apartment. My goal is to make those everyday sacred moments visible.
Do you have a favorite illustration from the series?
My favorite so far is the prayer mat illustration. There’s something timeless and deeply visual about prayer mats—their patterns, symmetry, and the way they hold space for ritual. I loved the challenge of capturing that quiet intimacy, and it felt personal, too. Prayer mats have always been a kind of visual and emotional anchor for me, and illustrating one made me feel connected not just to Ramadan but to a lineage of Muslim life that transcends geography.
What has been the most surprising aspect of the project for you?
I was surprised by how much people resonated with the quieter, more intimate moments. I thought the big, communal scenes would stand out the most, but it’s the softer pieces, like a teacup at Iftar or a late-night walk, that have sparked the most connection. It reminded me that people are craving representations of the sacred in the mundane, and that those are the moments that often stick with us.
People are craving representations of the sacred in the mundane, and that those are the moments that often stick with us.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of the project for you?
Hearing from people who feel seen in the work has been incredibly rewarding, especially other Muslims observing Ramadan in New York or away from home. The fact that something as simple as a sketch of a prayer mat or a street at sunset can make someone feel recognized or less alone is really powerful. On a personal level, the daily ritual of making and reflecting has brought me closer to my own experience of Ramadan. It’s turned the month into a living archive of small joys and sacred rhythms.
The daily ritual of making and reflecting has brought me closer to my own experience of Ramadan. It’s turned the month into a living archive of small joys and sacred rhythms.
The post Noran Morsi Honors the Quiet Moments of Ramadan in NYC Through Daily Illustrations appeared first on PRINT Magazine.