Is art a medium of protest? Yes, protest art is an effective tool to shout against the evils of society. Today, when I look at the New Zealand incident, it is again made obvious. Recent studies show that one in three of the Muslim woman on global scale face discrimination. When I thought of a subject to paint, this came to my mind like a spark. Yes, this is how the painting “PREY” is born!!
Muslim woman face lot of discrimination and humiliations on a global perspective. What to wear is definitely a personal choice. Most of the woman including myself wears a hijab by choice. They are not into it because of compulsion from fathers or husbands.
Is it a woman’s independent choice to cover up or not?
Islāmic woman are taught to dress modestly. In the presence of men whom they are not related in any way, woman should dress up completely except hands, feet and face. Hijab is often a spiritual choice made by most women in Islam.
Experiencing verbal abuse is general news these days for wearing hijab. It is quite painful when someone portrays you as a terrorist just because you wear a veil.
That holy Quran addresses “the faithful women” who are told to protect their private parts and not to display their adornment “except what is clear of it”.
Recent incidents show the global take on Muslim woman:
- In April 2011, France banned full-face veil. It was the first European country to ban full-face headscarfs.
- Followed by France, Belgium and Denmark also imposed restriction on wearing hijabs in public places.
PREY- Acrylic Painting On Canvas
This painting is born out of frustration and sadness, which I feel in my nerves. When my fellow sisters around the world face assaults and humiliation in every form, How can I remain silent? My silence kills me!!
Tackling Islamophobia through art is a serious challenge. But still I wish let art make people think. Islamophobia is a twisted ideology that has been raised with care. I believe art is a weapon that would enlighten the human mind.
Muslim woman have been banned from wearing their veils in a some situations. Quite often they are deprived of public rights including access to public places. They face harassment in different forms and textures even at workplace. There was a tremendous increase in the level of discrimination as an outcome of September 11. Women who wear hijab or burka are specifically pointed out and harassed in crowds.
While it is hard to find precise statistics about prejudiced incidents, reported cases of discrimination are always increasing.
At different contexts, in most of the development countries, Muslim woman are denied of their rights. There are several reported cases where Muslim students are assaulted and harassed in schools for wearing hijab.
As a conclusion, I wish, “let humanity wake up, survive and prevail”.
Great article. Women have the right to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination.