Burqa and The City . © Mariam Magsi , 2015 . Courtesy of the artist .
never be able to separate from , no matter where I go and who I become , because that is the only way I can connect with those I love most . My connection to my family and their identities cannot be separated from religion .
Q : Congratulations on your recent Pride Photo Award given in Amsterdam . Is your work having the effect on audiences you ’ d anticipated ?
A : Most folks I ’ ve spoken to in Toronto are extremely polite and politically correct over recent media over the niqab situation in Canada . I find most don ’ t know that the niqab and burqa are not mentioned in the Quran . Islamic reformists claim that covering hair is not mandatory , and that it ’ s been misconstrued over the years to disenfranchise women . . . that the only Islamic requirement is that of rightful conduct and modesty . Be assured these aren ’ t popular opinions .
A limited number of people [ in the Middle East ] have looked at my work online , some with vested interest in the arts , and have been beyond encouraging to continue exploring the burqa . I have received some backlash , mostly online , that I have dealt with humorously .
When I attended the award ceremony in Europe , discussions there about the burqa were the exact opposite [ from Canada ]. Viewers were truly passionate and wanted to have long engaging conversations about veiling , the way it [ differs ] spanning Muslim countries , whether it is empowering for some , oppressive to most , how to go about these issues ? Dialogue is so important .
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