Department of Visual Arts

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Browsing Department of Visual Arts by Subject "Aamilatun Jameelah -- Exhibitions"

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    Contemporary jewellery as Aamilatun Jameelah: a creative response to the complexities of a South African Islamic-feminist identity
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03 ) Khan, Mariambibi; Van der Wal, Ernst Ruurd; Terreblanche, Carine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One word comes to mind to summarise my experiences and encounters as a Muslim woman: ‘paradox’. This term explains what I consider to be the misrepresentation of my identity as a Muslim woman, while it also refers to the fact that I am a contemporary jewellery artist in a community where many do not understand my practice. In my practical body of work and accompanying thesis, I explore my Islamic feminist identity. My study aims to use Islamic feminist theory to challenge certain Islamic perceptions and doctrine through critical engagement with gender inequality and the lingering influence of patriarchy on Islamic communities. I also see this study as a vehicle for the creative reinterpretation and affirmation of Islamic faith and spirituality. My contemporary jewellery practice which I describe as Aamilatun Jameelah (beautiful worker), is how I make sense of my thoughts and grapple with my understanding of self. I also use my practice to create visibility around the embodiment of traditions, specifically those about Muslim women. I am interested in understanding how tangible objects can foster creative dialogue between self and society in a context where the feeling of belonging and the impact of inherited Islamic traditions play a crucial role. I am specifically interested in the role that visual representation and artistic practice can play in facilitating diverse perspectives on Muslim women’s experiences and complex identities. In my artistic practice, I use textiles, cotton and metal to reference my South African Indian heritage and the generations of skills passed down in embroidery, sewing, crocheting and knitting. In response to my own experience, I turn to creative jewellery practice to situate my work within a South African Islamic feminist context and to use familiar mediums such as paper, porcelain and needlework to represent the complex life stories of Muslim women.