A visual take on difficult subjects
The two women lead the way into the quiet cool chambers of the hallway where well-known artist Ahmad Zakii Anwar’s painting Perempuan Berdiri grabs my attention. The charcoal rendering of a woman in kebaya, with a whip in hand and a cigarette in the other looms over me defiantly. Her face, obscured by smoke, gives her anonymity. The notable painter had said in his brief that his painting is an ode to all women in this country who are ready to stand up, be counted and fight for their rights. With the recent controversial news of the recent caning of Muslim women in Terengganu, this image — Zakii pointed out — transforms the idea of a woman from being a victim to one who’s decided to take control.
“It will certainly stir up a conversation,” I murmur, transfixed by the image. “That’s exactly what we want,” responds the bespectacled Majidah, smiling. “We want people to start talking. We’re challenging negative images and portrayals about the Muslim identity, defying labels and definitions and breaking down harmful walls. We want people to ask difficult questions.” study problems associated with the implementation of new Islamic Family Laws legislated in 1984, and enforced in 1987.
The group comprising lawyers, academics, journalists, analysts and activists, met up with many women who shared their marital problems and the difficulties they faced when seeking legal redress from religious authorities. These early meetings focused on problems with the law and its implementation, and the solutions that were needed to remedy shortcomings within the system.
From organising workshops to highlight the problems women faced with the implementation of the new Family Laws and recommending reforms to ensure that Muslim women’s rights were upheld under the law, the group moved on to study the Quran to find out if the holy texts truly supported the oppression and ill-treatment of women. The group began to look afresh at section of texts used to justify domestic violence, polygamy, women’s unquestioning obedience to men, the inferior position of women as witnesses and gender inequality in general.
The group’s textual studies opened up a world of Islam that was based on the principles of mercy, equality, justice and love. It became patently clear that it wasn’t Islam that oppressed women. SIS wants to create more conversations in the community and make people think, she explains. “We find art is such an interesting platform because where halal and haram are concerned, things are not really black and white. There are a lot of colour in between. Instead of ‘telling’ peoencourage ple, we them to look at these artworks and interpret for themselves,” she says, smilgently. ing
“It’s another way for us to raise the issues that we’ve been fighting for, in a different kind of language to reach a wider audience,” chips in Suryani, adding candidly: “We want to educate people and get them to talk in a safe space. When you bring forward an issue through a visual language, it becomes more palatable to people. People will listen better. You can’t be confrontational all the time.” Artist Nia Khalisa co-curated the exhibition alongside fellow artist Hana Zamri and main curator Noor Mahnun Mohamed.
Her ancient manuscript-inspired artwork, Cara Penanaman: Pelindung Tumbuhan-Tumbuhan, seems at surface to be a straightforward gardening guide on how to take care of plants — in Jawi script. But the 23-year-old emerging artist reveals with an enigmatic smile Perempuan Berdiri (2018) — Ahmad Zakii Anwar. Her (2018) — Hana Zamri.
that there’s a cryptic message behind the surface. “There’s a technique in the guide which calls for the use of a cloche, which is a covering used to protect outdoor plants from extreme weather and prevents animals from foraging,” she explains softly, before adding: “But the very thing that’s used to protect the plant can also be looked at as a cage that prevents the plant from truly growing. It’s either care or restriction. It goes both ways.” She goes silent before adding with a shrug of her shoulders: “This is me as a plant actually. It’s my personal interpretation of the theme.”
The bared back of a woman in a traditional skirt, points out Hana with a laugh, can be interpreted both ways. As we gaze upon her art entitled Her, she continues: “It’s either haram because of her bared back, or halal because she’s wearing a modest skirt. You be the judge!” Society can be so consumed in judging on the outward appearance, she muses, revealing: “Back in my early university days when I was pursuing my first degree, I was judged a lot because of my appearance and my non-conformity. The obsession over what women wear and how they act affect our fundamental rights because everything is judged on physicality and doesn’t go beyond skin deep.”
Sophia Kamal’s striking Cover My Eyes In Glitter in shades of pink and orange stands out. “I love portraying women because I can relate to them. I love femi- nine colours. I drew the eyes because we’re always told we’re supposed to gaze down and not look directly at men for fear of luring them. This piece is my way of feeling free in a world filled with judgement. We need the balance of both humanity and spirituality to be free, really.”
The artworks on display feature a