Designer

Choice on a Spectrum

Interdisciplinary Art

Inspired by Eric Dyer's work on zoetropes, I created a small structure to physically create a spectrum on which Muslim women endure the perceptions of themselves in the media. Whether it's a burkini ban in France or a law to wear a headscarf in Iran, the only missing component is the representation of the women being discussed. These are only the two images portrayed in the mainstream media. The argument portrayed in this project is that stripping a Muslim woman's headscarf off is equally as humiliating as forcing it on her, just as it would be for any other woman and any other article of clothing. Because, ultimately, what is being ignored is her right to exercise her choice and her consent. 

The zoetrope shows a Muslim woman without a face, in reference to the narrative of news culture which discusses her as "she", but rarely talks to or addresses her as "you". She's getting her headscarf taken off and on by a hand, which is representative of governments and the society's perceptions of how women should dress.