processandproductionmaryamasif

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10 Final Site Specific Images

Project Statement

Bringing together two abrahamic religions, one being Islam and the other Christianity, I explore the similarities and aspects of cultural hybridity through hidden patterns. As someone who has grown up in a plural society I often wondered how two groups of people could be so similar yet so different. 

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My Final Work Installed in my studio space and shown in site specific place.

My final work is an Eid dress I've had for a while. It always brought me back to the feeling of oneness as its got a very christian robe design to it. I used lino, punch needling, paint and felt pen to make it. I kept the aspect of interlocking circles with eye symbols, fish and eye motifs and imagery in this work. Almost bringing these cultural hybridity factors all in one work.

I have decided to display my final in a graveyard, simply because of the religious element of life and death. Heaven and hell. Its to bring forth the though of absence. When someone dies, no matter who they where in there lifetime, there is an absence of money, love, popularity and other worldly things. It all ties in with my work.

The wind blowing my work was an unpredictability, as i thought the weight of the dress would pull the gravity down but O had misjudged that. So to solve that I place it over a tombstone pulling it down so that it fit snug. It was a beautiful sight to see the wind bringing it to life.

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Lino and Silk

Using lino printing technique onto produce these fish and eye motifs, layering them and doing ghost prints. Testing the waters for effects and outcomes. Experimenting with different methods of lino for my final. I'm imagining to have these particular works draped, to give the effect of stumbling by these works by happenstance.

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The Christian Eye and Muslim Fish

A mosaic piece that is in relation to the coming together of similar religions despite the social pressure which impacts and hypocrites holy scriptures that preach love and peace.

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The Trinity Fish

With my punch needling and monks cloth technique I have experimentally redone the Sufi fish design but I'm focusing on the meaning rather than the copy. The green coloured stitch holds significance as in Islam the colour green was the holy prophets most favourite colour for many reasons, and in Christianity it conveys renewal and growth. The three fish with one eye represent how the three Abrahamic religions are similar but have 3 different paths just like the 3 fish. 3 different beliefs (three fish) and 1 common goal, heaven ( 1 shared eye).

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Easter Egg Protected by Fish

This acrylic on canvas piece is my way of showing protection, specifically how religions protect themselves with reminders and promises of joy and heaven. Through these patterns I place an Easter egg in the middle, a direct relation to Christianity. An Easter egg symbol seems to be more precious and more rare, hidden in plain sight. The two fish at either side are protecting the egg, guarding it. Making sure its abundance and rarity is not ruined. Fish in Islam, as we know are sinless.

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The Circle of Trinity and Sinless Fish

The patterns are a match to the ones depicted in places of Islamic Worship. I have added eyes within the circles as a sign that god sees all (something that is heavily preached in both Islam and Christianity. The fish at the very top of the pattern is a singular, stand alone symbol, bringing us back to the warning of being sinful and to be instead innocent and sinless, like a fish.

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Punch Needle onto Monks Cloth

Once again a three eyes motif with a fish in the shape of an alluring pattern. I am experimenting with colours and materials in order to gain understanding of what looks best and most fulfilling. The 5 red stitches on each corner of the cloth is a portrayal of the 5 pillars of Islam. The burgundy colour bleeds out deepening its roots and spiritual value.

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Lino onto Cotton

I made a fish and eyes motif that looks almost floral or even spiritual. I put the words love, joy and peace from Galatians 5:22 as a away to include Christians values and also bring into account the kinship that these two particular religions have. I also wrote out ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ (Alhumdulillah) which translates to "praise be to God" as a response to 'peace, love, joy' one compliments the other and vice versa.

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Acrylic on Canvas A5

One the first painting we can see 3 interlocking circles. 1 circle is the father, the other circle is the son and the 3rd circle is the holy spirit. Ignoring the circle in the middle, if we turn the painting landscape we can see eyes from the two circles either side. If you focus on the entire middle section you can see 3 larger interlocked circles, again, reinforcing the trinity. The 4 navy patterns are the fish, the two crescent moons and 4 stars are all representative of Islam.

In the second painting I have stuck to the traditional Islamic diamond shape and have incorporated fish and eye symbolism throughout. Specifically the three signature trinity eyes.

I have shown these paintings off as motifs that are beautiful and enticing to look at, but upon further inspection we can see the religious value being fed into it becoming one.

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Wool Stitch, watercolour onto fabric.

A flower of 3 interlocking eyes. Each eye represents the trinity, this is a huge aspect of cultural hybridity as the design and idea is inspired by the Sufi fish symbol of Islam. We can see the value in both of these designs , both hinting towards Christianity and Islam, exchanging and holding value. The green, red and blue is a colour symbolism of what we already know about colours in Christianity. It conveys how there is a spirit of god in Jesus ans a spirit of Jesus in god. The same but nothing alike. Just a person but also a devine being.

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Mosaic Trinity of Wood

Green and blue shards, The blue shards are in the shape of eyes, filling the surrounding area with green , in the shape of 3 circles. The trinity reference here is weaker, as I want to show it as a beautiful tile in a mosque rather than a strong combination of Abrahamic symbolism.

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Fish and Eyes {Punch Needle technique}

White: Represents purity, innocence, and holiness. It's often used during Easter and Christmas to symbolize the purity of Christ.

Red: Signifies the blood of Christ and martyrdom.

Blue: Represents divine grace, especially in the Catholic tradition. It's also associated with the Virgin Mary.

Green: Symbolizes growth, life, and hope.

I've kept the three interlocking fish aspect and have added another section with three eyes of the trinity. The fish are conveying Islam and the colours and three colours of blue, red and green is another connotation of the trinity. The three eyes on either side and the eye motifs is another sign of the trinity. The white fish surrounded by dull colours of the trinity is a sign of ones love, religious acceptance, confusion and divine uniqueness, its about my experience and the experience of those who love and accept religions without any bias.

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Christain Values in Islamic Patterns - A Postcolonial Tale

Looking closely, at the mosaics in you may notice three eyes, this is representative of the holy trinity, using the typical Islamic colours and styles. The words littered around the mosaics are things that are taught in both Christianity and Islam.

The second design has intertwining circles, creating oval shapes between them. Those ovals have a smaller light blue circle in them portraying eyes in an endless loop. The small floral motif in the centre is a copy of the Sufi fish symbol in Islam, but instead of interlocking fish, I changed it to interlocking eyes once again linking Islam and Christianity into oneness.

Purpose - To be shown as a design, but is instead a sign of my belief towards two religions being brothers.

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Short video 2 {25 seconds} with made sound

Focusing on a dreamlike state. Following the symbolism's of fish and eyes, I make this short video, a raw video with nothing but imagery. The eyes are like the trinity and the fish is representative of Islam. It is said that Jesus is the father, the son and the holy spirit, three interlocking circles. Similarly eyes represent Jesus as there is a spiritual third eye between our two. The fish themselves are in a blue light, a significance to Islamic blue and white. As talked about previously the 3 interlocking fish represent the 3 Abrahamic religions and have connotations of being sinless.

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Short Video {28 seconds} with made sound

Outlining both the beauties and atrocities of religion through a partnership of christian and Muslim values. The writing on the face talks about what a fundamentalist societal woman can't have an opinion on, and that's about her rights as a woman. The other girl plays an image of a christian in her veil, being helped by two muslim woman. Similarly holding the same values of modesty and hierarchy, but from a more privileged view. As we all know, othering takes the shape of the lesser, being uneducated, poorer, helpless whilst watching her superior being attended too.

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The Three Fish With One Head

The Sufi story "Three Fish with One Head" represents harmony among differences. Three fish, each signifying a distinct religious path, have one head, signifying the unity of the Divine and the interdependence of spiritual traditions.

A design that I refer back to a lot. Mainly because I was told a different story growing up. For me it was a teaching of Abrahamic Religions, how interlinked they are, and how there are only three of them, With similar attributes, its like a game of Chinese whispers, similar religions with similar values but are somewhat different in there teachings.