The Burqa as a Well-Worn Modern Mask
Ahaad Al Amoudi :
The Burqa as a Well-Worn Modern Mask
By Zaynab Odunsi
( Editor ’ s Note : In Saudi Arabia , the burqa is oftentimes referred to as “ the niqab ” — another form of face covering . For the purposes of this article , “ burqa ” is employed to reflect the artist ’ s use of the term .)
In her 2014 installation , Open Culture , Saudi Arabian artist Ahaad Al Amoudi ’ s acrylic masks line up like faceless soldiers . Molded from plastic , each of the twenty masks in the series are laseretched with intricate unique designs that take their cue from nature and the body . Curious and complex , they demand attention , bearing witness to how the burqa acts as a well-worn modern mask .
The series debuted in 2014 when Al Amoudi was 22 years old and studying at Dar Al Hekma University , the progressive all women ’ s university in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia . It marked the start of what Al Amoudi sees as a powerful metaphor in her art practice — the masks as symbols for both the burqa and the Internet personas we create of ourselves .
Al Amoudi has never worn a burqa in public ; it is not a social practice amongst the women in her immediate family . But as a girl who spent her formative years in the United Kingdom , and who returned to Saudi Arabia as a young woman at age 14 , it was inevitable that she would struggle with social norms , like the burqa , upon being back .
Women wearing the burqa is common in Jeddah , although not obligatory . Many instead wear beautifully colored and patterned abayas — a long outer cloak — over their clothing , and often pair it with the hijab ( headscarf ).
At Dar Al Hekma , Al Amoudi formed deeply meaningful relationships with young women from more conservative backgrounds who wore the garment publicly . At the same time , she saw them begin to use the Internet and social media to take on different personas and socialize virtually , while still remaining relatively anonymous .
Coupled with her experiences in both the West and Middle East , these observations prompted Al Amoudi to explore the questions : “ Why does the Western world see the burqa as a barrier to integration and communication , instead of a freedom as expression ? How does a simple black fabric on a woman ’ s face create so much outrage and controversy that it warrants laws to be made against it ?”
The selection of portraits below from the Open Culture series is Al Amoudi ’ s attempt to arrive at an answer . She continues to explores these questions as a young emerging artist in the Master of Arts program at the Royal College of Art in London .
Open Culture . © Ahaad Al Amoudi , 2014 . Courtesy of the artist .
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