1.16.12 - Technicolor Muslimah will be showing for the first time at the Carrack Modern Art in downtown Durham (http://durhamsculpture.org/carrack/) on March 23rd - 31st. 

Prints of the artwork will be available for sale!

The opening reception will be:

Friday, March 23rd, 2012

@ 6:00 pm

111 West Parrish Street

with Spoken Word Performances by Muslim women

Hosted by Dina Badawy

Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 2-8pm

Taiyyaba, Attorney

About the Show:

Modern treatment of Muslim subject matter in art and media is closely tied to the political and religious controversy that seems to be pervasive in these “exotic” countries of the East.  While much of the conflict is real, oftentimes, visual media and “Muslim art” do nothing to lessen the perception of the Muslim world as exotic, “other,” and entirely homogenous.  Truly, much art and writing relies on the juxtaposition of the traditional and the taboo within Islam - the East in exact opposition to the West.  

This portrayal is a farce.  There is a massive community of Muslims who live in these Western countries who are not antithetical to “the West.”  This community is made up of individuals, each with their own unique mosaic of culture and experiences.  To some extent, however, I believe that the Muslim communities themselves absorb some of these feelings of “otherness” and cling to them.  On each side, there is a tendency to clothe ourselves in our differences.  While these cloaks may protect us from the unknown, they also prevent us from achieving true connection.   

The conflicts overseas are real, and have become even more so during the pivotal Arab Spring.  A yet unheard Muslim voice is yelling out for freedom from dictatorships, in favor of democracy.  It is a young voice, a voice organized through Facebook, with global support.  Through the open forum of the internet, I am hearing Muslim voices I did not know existed.  Gay Muslims have come out of hiding, a popular blog is titled Mybestfriendismuslim.com, where non-Muslims describe their unique and loving relationship with a Muslim.  I read about a Pakistani punk movement, written by Muslim women bloggers at Muslimah Media Watch.  And Muslim feminists abound - easily consolidating their piety and their strength as women. Truly, the two are interwoven.  

Islam is not a tiny box.  It is not one-dimensional, and neither are the people who practice the religion.  That such a simplistic perception of these peoples has persisted into our world today is unacceptable.  There is a place for everyone in this country, yet these people have continued to be not only vilified, but homogenized.  As evidenced by the websites I described above (which is just the tip of the iceberg), I believe that this perception is beginning to change.  

I have created a series of twelve portraits of Muslim women in acrylic paint.  The canvases are a uniform 18” x 18,” and the women are rendered in bright colors, which, in itself, is a departure from how Muslim women are often portrayed.  I chose women because I believe that they are often the most clear representatives of the Muslim world, and the most misunderstood. This series focuses on aspects of these women that need to be explored - their humor, their joy, and their kindness.  Each woman is identified as Muslim by her headscarf.  This visual symbol is truly the only suggestion of her religion, because my perspective here is humanist.  In addition, eleven of the paintings are presented with props to further support the theme of humor, or to identify the subjects as American, as well as Muslim.  While there is a clear theme unifying these paintings, the individuality of each woman shines through.  My aim was for Muslim women to see these paintings, and see themselves.  

The twelfth portrait is a bit of a departure from the rest of the group.  The subject faces the viewer directly, with an assertive gaze.  Her strength is apparent, but muted.  This portrait is especially important, because it indicates that the story is not over.  This joyful portrayal of Muslim women is only one aspect amongst the kaleidoscope of qualities that these women possess.  She is the blank slate.  She is asking the viewer, “So what do you think of me, now?”  She anchors the series, and asks the viewers to look back upon themselves.      


Even in this age of instant information, we have a tendency to see a woman wearing a  headscarf, and imagine a patriarch forcing that veil upon her.  We have an obsession with that piece of cloth and all that we think it represents. The assumption is that these women are being oppressed, that they are imprisoned within layers of cloth.  This closed-minded perspective imprisons far too many.  Those who fall prey to this misconception are unfortunately drawing a veil over their own eyes, preventing themselves from seeing how dynamic these women truly are.  The headscarf truly recedes into the background in these paintings, and the vibrant women within them shine through - in technicolor.

I want to help expand the Western vocabulary concerning Muslims, with an emphasis on Muslim women.  I want to combat the narrow-minded perception of Muslims not by criticizing anyone’s ignorance, but by providing a more expansive definition of what it means to be Muslim. 

Hell is a Party, 24" x 48"

10.14.10  - Recently I participated in a 3-hour live painting competition with two other artists.  The event, titled, Art of the Slam, also included a poetry competition and was held at the Duke Coffeehouse.  

This was the painting that I completed during the competition, and that won me first place!  The painting is titled "Hell is a Party."

Free Music

11.15.09  - Three of my paintings will be included in the 55th Annual DAG Juried Show!  The juror is Maria Magdalena Compos-Pons. 

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Where: Durham Arts Council Building

           120 MORRIS ST., DURHAM, NC

When: 11/20/2009 - 01/22/2010

   Monday - Saturday 9 am - 9 pm, Sunday 1 - 5 pm

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Please feel free to contact me with questions and feedback, and for information about purchasing or commissioning a piece.

art.by.saba@gmail.com