Muslim women perceived differently through art
Jack Willems
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: News
Themina Kader hopes to change the perception of Muslim women through her art, she said.
"By discussing the work that contemporary Muslim women artists do, I wish to debunk some of the stereotypes that are held by non-Muslims of what women in the Muslim world can and cannot do simply because they are 'supposed' to be oppressed and veiled," Kader said.
The lecture entitled "Images and Identity: Contemporary Women Artists in the Muslim World" will be 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, in Giffels Auditorium.
The lecture is happening in conjunction with the traveling arts exhibition, "The Veil: Visible and Invisible Spaces."
Kader's purpose in visiting the UA is to create a greater awareness of Islamic traditions and artwork, she said.
Kader said she hopes to redress the stereotypes "that are currently so pervasive about anything Muslim."
Among those beliefs is the idea that a veil is the cause of the so-called "backwardness" and "oppression" of all Muslim women, she said.
"Islam the religion is not oppressive," Kader said. "Extraneous conditions and culture give any religion, not just Islam, negative press."
Biology major Tesal Patel said she thinks the veil is part of Muslim culture and should be respected, though she does feel that men dominate women in the Muslim world.
"It's probably harder for women to do what they want to do with their life," she said.
While some people may believe that women in veils are oppressed, that is an overgeneralization, said Wade Derden, a public policy doctorate student.
Women in those cultures may not feel oppressed at all, he said.
"It's dangerous to view the world through just an American lens," Derden said.
One of the subjects of Kader's lecture will be the influences that affect Muslim women artists, which are some of the same influences that affect other women writers, such as the country in which they live, their conditions and life experience, and exposure to Western education, Kader said.
This lecture will not be the only thing Kader will be doing in Fayetteville.
Kader also will host a workshop Friday and Saturday about henna painting, said Angela LaPorte, chair of the Art Education Program.
Henna painting is a 1,400-year-old tradition that is prevalent in the Muslim world; the plant, whose dried leaves are crushed to make a powder, is used for decorating the hands and feet of women and girls during festive occasions such as weddings, Kader said.
"The workshops I will do are in the context of the body decoration and how a cultural practice can be used to create an awareness of another culture in a friendly, nonthreatening way," she said.
Those interested in participating in one of the workshops should contact LaPorte, though there is a limit on the number of individuals who can participate, she said.
"By discussing the work that contemporary Muslim women artists do, I wish to debunk some of the stereotypes that are held by non-Muslims of what women in the Muslim world can and cannot do simply because they are 'supposed' to be oppressed and veiled," Kader said.
The lecture entitled "Images and Identity: Contemporary Women Artists in the Muslim World" will be 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, in Giffels Auditorium.
The lecture is happening in conjunction with the traveling arts exhibition, "The Veil: Visible and Invisible Spaces."
Kader's purpose in visiting the UA is to create a greater awareness of Islamic traditions and artwork, she said.
Kader said she hopes to redress the stereotypes "that are currently so pervasive about anything Muslim."
Among those beliefs is the idea that a veil is the cause of the so-called "backwardness" and "oppression" of all Muslim women, she said.
"Islam the religion is not oppressive," Kader said. "Extraneous conditions and culture give any religion, not just Islam, negative press."
Biology major Tesal Patel said she thinks the veil is part of Muslim culture and should be respected, though she does feel that men dominate women in the Muslim world.
"It's probably harder for women to do what they want to do with their life," she said.
While some people may believe that women in veils are oppressed, that is an overgeneralization, said Wade Derden, a public policy doctorate student.
Women in those cultures may not feel oppressed at all, he said.
"It's dangerous to view the world through just an American lens," Derden said.
One of the subjects of Kader's lecture will be the influences that affect Muslim women artists, which are some of the same influences that affect other women writers, such as the country in which they live, their conditions and life experience, and exposure to Western education, Kader said.
This lecture will not be the only thing Kader will be doing in Fayetteville.
Kader also will host a workshop Friday and Saturday about henna painting, said Angela LaPorte, chair of the Art Education Program.
Henna painting is a 1,400-year-old tradition that is prevalent in the Muslim world; the plant, whose dried leaves are crushed to make a powder, is used for decorating the hands and feet of women and girls during festive occasions such as weddings, Kader said.
"The workshops I will do are in the context of the body decoration and how a cultural practice can be used to create an awareness of another culture in a friendly, nonthreatening way," she said.
Those interested in participating in one of the workshops should contact LaPorte, though there is a limit on the number of individuals who can participate, she said.
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