The Halal Metropolis exhibition, by artist Osman Khan, historian Sally Howell, and photographer Razi Jafri, and explores the facts, fictions, and imaginaries of the Muslim population(s) in Detroit and Southeast Michigan as viewed through historical research, documentation of current conditions, and explorations of future desires. The Halal Metropolis alludes to the established and growing Muslim population in Detroit and its metro area, one of the largest and most diverse Muslim populations in the U.S., whose visibility is both pronounced and extremely present in the city, yet whose narrative seems unusually silent in the larger Detroit story. The Halal Metropolis is where Muslims practice their faith freely and contribute to society with all of their talents and commitments.
In Anthony Keith Giannini’s Learning To Be Human I-V, he addresses how we ‘sort through the mess’ processing and housing the continuous stream of information that colors our lives. This data is compartmentalized into cells which are evenly distributed like a quilt in a soft, muted palette camouflaging the unsettling images. A shock of orange, fingers gripping a chain link fence or a mouth open in a scream describe current events and personal ephemera.
From a strictly visual standpoint, I’ve always loved the lyrical shapes of this language. Here its poetic beauty is disrupted with English words like ‘revolution’ and ‘parasite’ sharply ending my romance to remind me that since I cannot read this language, only the titles in Amna Asghar’s triptych lend clues to the story being told.
In Endi Poskovic’s Primavera: Hagar and the Angels in the Wilderness he tells the story of Hagar and Ishmael from the book of Genesis and has chosen the moment Hagar is about to give birth. This depiction reads like an old school fairytale complete with a castle, a princess in distress and creepy trees with strange forest creatures on the assist. This is certainly a brave departure from the traditional imagery of the heroine wandering the wilderness. That it’s a woodcut makes this an astonishing production.
Zeinab Saab has presented several hand-made artist books, this one being the most intriguing. The delicate pages with torn edges give it an aged look. Text is present in a transparent watermark with eyes overlaid on a string of prayer beads. I was enthralled with its diaphanous beauty although its meaning is left a mystery.
The shows that are emerging from last year’s social eruption have been potent. Voices that have previously been ignored or silenced are speaking out. It’s as unsettling to be faced with such truth as it is beautiful. Detroit has been through a lot. It has the heart of a lion. We don’t quit. Our community is strengthened by its diversity.
Participating Artists: Amna Asghar, Qais Assali, B Mama, Adnan Charara, Kecia Escoe, Parisa Ghaderi, Anthony Keith Giannini, Razi Jafri, Osman Khan, Maamoul Press, Endi Poskovic, Reem Taki
On view July 28-August 28, 2021 at The Scarab Club 217 Farnsworth St., Detroit
These passages are direct quotes from public statements
*images are all mine
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND