If you’re a lover of the arts and want to transcend into a world different to your own, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) might have something special in store.
The museum is set to unveil a new art collection from July 1 to Nov. 19 titled Being and Belonging: Contemporary Women Artists from the Islamic World and Beyond.
This exhibition explores “the defining issues of our time” from the perspective of 25 women artists from or connected to the broader Islamic world spanning across West Africa to Southeast Asia or living in the diaspora.
The artwork will also touch on themes such as identity, power, sexuality, and home. All artwork is broken into three themes: space, movement and power.
There, spectators will find graffiti, photography, film, animation, paintings and ceramics.
Additionally, visitors can see work from both emerging and well-established artists who all fought to stay clear of stereotypes and bring a unique perspective to their individual work.
Curator of Islamic World Collections Fahmida Suleman told Now Toronto that the exhibit will be nothing short of a feast for the eyes.
“There’s so many themes to look forward to. [The exhibit] is about what it is to be and to belong,” she said.
Examples of some of the amazing artwork visitors can find is from Bangladeshi artist Tayeba Begum Lipi.
Her art installation, featuring stainless steel heels and a dress, is titled “Not For Me” and “The Baby Frock,” and hopes to depict a dark aspect of human psychology and look at the “universal issues related to gender-based violence and the representation of women’s bodies.”
(left: Nine Lives / right: Not For Me and The Baby Frock)
Hayv Kahraman, an artist born in Iraq, also took a deep dive into the challenges women face as well as the unreasonable expectations of beauty women are subjected to and participate in.
Her oil painting, titled “Nine Lives,” follows the relationship of a woman with her hair.
The painting shows a woman pulling her hair which is a symbol of pressure she feels to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.
If you take a look at the last image she is preparing to cut her hair and reclaim her identity in a defiant way.
For more information, and to purchase tickets click here.
