May 7, 2010: Friday
My travels started in Baltimore on May 5th, onwards to NYC, Frankfurt, Singapore and finally Kuala Lumpur on May 7th. The morning of my flight my sweet 5-yr old niece Fatima came into my room and said with her palms facing up and spread out, "Did I come at the right time!? It's 6:16!" She was referring to whether or not there was enough time for her to see me before school. She had 44 minutes before 7AM. I mumbled something in my sleepy stupor and she just crept under the covers next to me. I could feel her staring at me, so I opened my eyes, and we talked for a bit about little nothings until we drifted back to sleep, with my arms wrapped around her, or maybe hers wrapped around me, she's always been an affectionate child. When she was much younger she would touch her nose to your nose when laying next to you ~ sweetest thing ever. Children expand your heart so much, don't they? SubhanAllah. :)
Back to my travels ~ I made it through the delays, the connecting flights and all the security checkpoints, and had no problems booking my art work, thank God! In fact, overall I had to say I had such a delightful experience at every airport I stopped at because I was carrying artwork. So many guards, counter employees and security booth attendants had nice things to ask and say because I had this unusual, huge, red tube full of rolled up paintings, I was surprised. And they also liked the huge colorful Jamaican earrings I was wearing; it was definitely cause for more conversation than I expected. ;)
nnnnnnnnnnnn
nnnnnnnnnninnLanding in Singapore
en route to Kuala Lumpur
About 30 hours later, I made it to my hostel, took a shower, rested 2 hours, and headed over to WIEF headquarters, only a few minutes away from me. I met Fazil Irwan Som (Head Coordinator for the Marketplace) and Izran Al Amin (Coordinator for Marketplace), and some of the other members of the amazing WIEF team that have been working so long and hard to make this event happen, mashaAllah!
Shortly after, we headed over to BFM 89.9 Radio Studios for an interview with a really cool Producer named Shefah Szetu. I was being interviewed, along with Fazil and another artist & speaker from the Marketplace, Zalfian Fuzi, who by the way is such a cool guy doing so many unique things here in KL with his company! I'm excited that he's speaking on my panel. Check out his site under the Links section, and if you're in the area come out to his latest comedy "Sex! Money! Scandal! The Pandemic" on May 16th ~ I'll be there inshaAllah!
The interview was casual, all three of us were nervous, but we got asked some really thoughtful questions that were good preparation for the Panel at the Forum. I can't remember all the q's, or most of them for that matter b/c I was going on 2 hrs of sleep over 2.5 days but the 3 main ones were the following:
- How do you describe Non-Muslim Art vs. Muslim Art?
- As a Muslim Artist, do you feel you have a role to represent Islam?
- Is it difficult to make art with the restrictions in Islam? are there restrictions?
On the drive back home, (home ~ see how comfortable I've gotten already? ;) we discussed and compared our answers like school kids coming out of an exam recalling which answers we got right, which we got wrong. Zalfian mentioned a great point when he said that he's never been identified as a "Muslim Director," and anyone that knows him is going to think it's so strange when they hear the radio interview. "Steven Speilberg isn't called a Jewish Director just because he's Jewish, and makes films," Z said. It's true isn't it? Muslims always get labeled; I think it partly stems from the general perception of it being a restrictive religion.
Later that night though, I thought to myself about how it's the so-called "restrictions" that make it challenging, and have forced me to explore and research art as much as I have. It's actually made me quite clear about why it is I make art, and what it means to me. In a way I make it harder (for myself) by forcing myself to be able to explain it (to myself at the very least), but it's also so important to be able to articulate yourself, you know? Architecture has taught me that, but it's equally relevant to me in my Art.
. . .
All in all the radio interview was actually really fun, and a good experience, even though as Fazil said I was thrown into "the deep end" as soon as I arrived in KL. ;) It was an honor, and gave me confidence for the events to come in the near future. Alhamdulillah.
I identify myself as an Artist part of a great artistic community, as well as a greater community of Muslim artists, and part of that is because I wear a scarf on my head whose main purpose for me IS identity.
On a broader note, you and I are redefining what "Islamic Art" means in the contemporary world my friends. That is not a light task. Be true to yourself, and it will be beautiful - beautiful because you'll find that others relate in this thing called the human condition, and sometimes that will make you fly, with purpose . . . that is what I think.
