A new online exhibition aims to share and amplify the voices, stories and art of Muslim women around the world
A new virtual exhibition is helping counter stereotypes and prejudices about Muslim women.
Muslima: Muslim Women’s Art & Voices aims to share and amplify the stories and art of Muslim women across the world. Recently launched by International Museum of Women (IMOW) – an online social action museum, the exhibition features the creativity, courage and passion of contemporary Muslim women.
The exhibition hopes to challenge media stereotypes of Muslim women as subjugated victims by giving them a platform from which to speak about the complex realities of their own lives. Alongside the exhibition runs a human rights campaign to support Muslim women across the globe.
“What other woman faces as much scrutiny or is the target of random violence – from both her own community as well as others – as the Muslim woman?” asks Samina Ali, the exhibition’s curator. “We wanted to help reverse these stereotypes, curb Islamophobia and build understanding.”
Muslima presents exclusive interviews with leading Muslim women leaders and activists, such as Dr Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize; Fahima Hashim, a leading women’s rights advocate in Sudan; and Fawzia Koofi, who will be running for president of Afghanistan in 2014. It also showcases women artists from all over the world and features Muslima Stories, a collection of multimedia mini-memoirs about what it means to be a Muslim woman today.
“It’s the first time all of these different women – both emerging and established artists, leaders and reformers – and all their efforts in all different parts of the world are being brought together under one platform,” Ali adds.
The exhibition is live until the end of December 2013.
