Islamic Culture

Muslim Woman

I have chosen Islamic woman for my subculture this is because my theme was based on hidden identity and wanted to continue further by looking at Muslim woman’s.  As a Muslim I personally think it is quite difficult situation and a responsibility to cover your body with Abaya (The black long traditional dress) and the face with Nigap were you can only see the eyes. In a way I found these woman’s quite brave because they are totally different to people around them and still are not making any difference when the seasons change specially in summer time. I was wondering how they feeling about and why they wearing these clothing so had a short conversation with my friend and these are the reason they hiding themselves.

·       Me: Why you wearing Hijab ( The scarf they  have on there hairs.)?

·       Friend: It is in the Quran that a girl should cover up...so does not attract a guy.

·       Me: Do you feel protective when you are covered? In what way and how it helps?

·       Friend: Yeah I do, well when you covered up it doesn’t show the shape of your body which means a guy are less likely to look at you...it also means people like rapists and pervs won’t even think about looking at you, that’s why I feel safe.!

·       Me: Getting covered does it helps you to hide your identity?

·       Friend: It hidden some identity...like if ma hair was messed up or if I wore the same top it wouldn’t be recognisable because you’re covered. 

I then searched  some shops in Oxford street which was a bad idea because couldn’t found much a relative resources, so I continued my researching online and used a photo shoot images from my previous project. This helped me to visualize the repetitive floral details and the colours. I then remembered that I have collated some images from Liberty in Oxford street, which were brand scarfs with bright colours and repetitive patterns. While my researches was going on, I found this punk hijabi girl on Google I found it really interesting, because i knew that they was colourful and shiny patterns were used by a Muslim woman’s because they love being fancy and love jewellery all over themselves but punk and Islam is two cultures that opposite each other in different ways and i was quite surprised when i saw her designed punky hair scarf, it was pretty much unique, also hides the real personality of a person because Islam is restricted religious which is not open for notion of becoming stylish.

Punk HIjabi

 This images from online while i was researching on stylish hijabi (scarf)

Repititive patterns and colours

This image from liberty when I was doing my research in Oxford street, it a brand scarfs I can't remember the name but was £200 which I found it really expensive although I was more interested with the brightness and the soft feeling of the material.

These images from my friends face book well she doesn't know that I am using her photos :) but couldn't found much resources during my research in Oxford street, these images was related to what I was researching about but it also has the bright colour, patterns and a Muslim lady which covered her identity.

              

Shelter..

 

This is one of my previous project while I was in college, the theme was shelter and we had to research some materials to represents our shelter theme,then we used newpappers and traditonal scarfs to do our photshoot, I find it quite useful for my SubCulture theme and it relates to what im doing at the moment.!!  

Cindy Sherman

Cynthia "Cindy" Morris Sherman (born January 19, 1954) is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits

My subculte was based on identity so i decided to search some photographers which will help me to expand my ideas, Cindy sherman photographing herself in different identity's by using variouse of equipment. Iam not really interested with her work but i found it bit strange of why shes inetrested with peoples identity and faces although shes known by her conceptual photographs. I was also looking at how costumes and make-up can make a massive change on her person.