A different view
Shawnee museum features art by female students from Saudi university.
An exhibit is on display at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art showcasing art from a group of young women studying at Dar Al-Hekbah University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The exhibit, titled “Women’s Point of View,” displays these students’ projects, showing their viewpoint of the different cultures throughout the Middle East. “It’s a part of the world that there’s a lot of misconceptions, there’s a lot of things I don’t know about, so it was a great learning experience for me and for our staff,” said Dane Pollei, director and chief curator.
“Part of what we have always done and an important part of our mission is bringing the world to Oklahoma. We do that through art. We have the opportunity to do this exhibition, and when it
was first proposed from Dar Al-Hekbah University, I wasn’t sure we’d want artists at the start of their career. But looking at the projects they did and that artwork they created, it’s an amazing group of artists."
Using their artistic abilities, graphic design students were challenged to solve a problem, and for Qurrat Ul Ain Abdui Aleem, this problem hit close to home.
“As graphic designers, we were supposed to solve a problem anywhere in the world,” Qurrat Ul Ain Abdui Aleem said. “And since I’m a Pakistani myself, and my mom is, as well, she was basically my inspiration," she said. “Why not talk about something that is so strong and so harsh, and it’s something so serious but people don’t pay enough attention to it.”
The problem Qurrat addressed is the ongoing acid attacks against women in Pakistan.
“The project is called Aurat,” Qurrat said. “Aurat in Urdu means woman. It is basically a movement to help rehabilitate female victims of acid attack violence. (Acid attack) is a form of violence where families, their own husbands, motherin-laws and sister-in-laws, they attack
these women for several reasons, like not bringing enough dowry or, like one of these women, could not fund her husband’s drug addiction. So that is why he threw acid at her.”
For Qurrat, the project was emotionally draining, but what she saw has driven her to do whatever she can to help those women.
“I hope that they are well aware of what goes on in this society, and I hope that these women, that we can actually create a channel to help these women, not just in Pakistan, but in all of these countries where incidences like these happen,” Qurrat said. “I feel like if I can save just one of them, just help one of these women get medical aid for their treatment, I will
believe that the purpose of my project has been fulfilled.”
Changing perception
The exhibit has been a work in progress for nearly two years for Linda Schaeffer, assistant professor at Dar Al-Hekbah University. A renowned American journalist, Schaeffer hadn’t planned on becoming a professor in Saudi Arabia, but it has turned out to be quite an adventure. Having been born and raised overseas, Schaeffer said she understands what it’s like to have stereotypes placed upon you, which is what this exhibit is trying to break.
“I lived most of my life in Europe and South America, and I was always stereotyped as being an American in British schools that I attended,” Schaeffer said. “Many people stereotype Saudi women and Middle Eastern women, that they must lead these lives of absolute desperation and that they’re not part of the modern world, but there’s nothing further from the truth. These girls are very spirited and very forward thinking. If you look at their work, you can see that they’re extremely creative and very entrepreneurial.”
Bringing a piece of her Middle East to Oklahoma, Sara Bokhary, a senior at Dar Al-Hekbah, displayed photographs of her
mother, reliving the time when she was a child and was taught how to pray.
“In Islam, our religion that was taught by our parents,” Bokhary said.“I remember when my mom was teaching me about Islam, and she would sit beside me in such a peaceful way and teach me so that’s where I got my main inspiration.”
All the women featured throughout the exhibit crafted their photography, graphic design and other art skills to share a piece of their culture and country. Bokhary hopes this will be a positive representation of her home.
“I hope they view Saudi Arabia as something more peaceful and positive cause there’s lots of rumors, and a lot of people view Saudi Arabia as something bad,” Bokhary said. “But it’s actually pretty positive, and women have a huge role over there.”
Whether it’s photographs displaying a child learning Islam or images of women who have survived attacks meant to silence them, Pollei hopes the exhibit leaves people with a poignant reminder.
“(We hope) to teach people that we’re all human being and if you know someone, if you know their lives and if you know what they’re like, it becomes impossible, or at least much more difficult, to hate them.”
The exhibit, which opened at the Mabee-Gerrer on Oct. 6, will remain open through Nov. 12.