#beyondfaith

This week we had a student visit to the exhibition followed by discussions organised by Dr Jana Wendler. It was a thought-provoking encounter and enabled us as artists to reflect on the exhibition, together with the curators and this group of undergraduate students. I would be interested to know what they got out of the conversations. It definitely made me think from a different view that I am grateful for. #BeyondFaith #WhitworthArtGallery #theWhitworth @whitworthlearn @whitworthart Photos by Shabs (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4HbFHlg9lh/?igshid=25t7s4g05onp

The pace of life is faster than my pace. This was the event we had at the Whitworth on Sunday. That weekend in October is always buzzing with many events in the arts. It was an inspiring day, but I wish the Journeys festival events were not scheduled so tightly together so that we artists could also go to other events across the city and be supportive of one another. #BeyondFaith #WhitworthArtGallery #theWhitworth #JourneysFestival @whitworthlearn @whitworthart @journeysfest Photo by @udrajgopal (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3sG4SlAuih/?igshid=sw13zf000ae

Join the Beyond Faith artists and Journeys Festival for an Artist Sunday for all the family. Explore the themes of identity, culture, otherness and belonging in the Whitworth’s exhibition Beyond Faith. Artists will be leading workshops and talks throughout the day Sunday 13 October 2019 11am-3pm Free, drop-in, no need to book #BeyondFaith #WhitworthArtGallery #theWhitworth https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/learn/family/artistsundays/ (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3CSSWSgJZo/?igshid=59vp55016p2j

I was reading the opening passage of Rumi’s great epic-length Persian mystical poem the Masnavi, at the end of the opening night two weeks ago. On my birthday I’m whispering those couplets to myself - couplets I learnt sometime in my childhood (in its original Persian, not English). I have understood these words differently as I have grown from a child into a woman, and I’ve noticed how my perspective has changed over the years. Everyone is against ageing – but now I salute the arrival of a few white hairs and tiny wrinkles, as there are many untold stories are written in them that I can’t disguise. If you look closely perhaps you’ll see traces of my laughter and anxiety. But don’t hesitate to come closer, next time you bump into me and spot grey hairs and wrinkles. I don’t care because they may say the some of the things that are difficult to say in words. Like hi, it’s quite a success story to get older!! ‪#BeyondFaith #Mowlana #Masnavi #Rumi ‬#mystical #Persian #poetry #WhitworthArtGallery #Whitworth #opening #BeyondFaithWhitworth #sagittamedia @magwagdirector @udrajgopal @whitworthart (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUzLCggScd/?igshid=18yhszf0qy1ys

The opening night turned out to be an amazing event. I was chuffed by all the wonderful feedback I received. The most touching one was from a 10 year old boy who loves drawing superheroes, and he said that he likes my paintings and the #superhero #women in them. Moments like this I feel the existence of #borders more than ever for not having my family around to celebrate, and thanks to all lovely friends who could make it last night – your presence meant a lot more. The photos are random. I only took only 4 of them: Uthra, the curator, Saskia, the director of the project, and Alistair, the director of the Whitworth. And someone I don’t know who was taking a selfie. #BeyondFaith @sagittamedia #janawendler #SaskiaWarren @WhitworthArt @udrajgopal @magwagdirector @u_____gul #WhitworthArtGallery #Whitworth #BeyondFaithWhitworth #sagittamedia #manchester (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BysY5ydg5b0/?igshid=37rujyqj9nwz

I’m getting into the groove as I’m talking to Ben, a journalist, about my artworks. Thanks to Shabs, the loveliest paparazza, for capturing it. #BeyondFaith #whitworthartgallery #manchester @whitworthart (at Whitworth Art Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Byh-dGugTOP/?igshid=e45rxnn84r06

It’s getting more and more exciting as we’re getting closer to the #opening. This evening we had a chat with @TalatFarooqAwan on #Indus at the BBC Radio Manchester about our experiences as artists and the upcoming exhibition at the @WhitworthArt. @bbcradiomanchester #BeyondFaith #whitworthartgallery #manchester (at BBC Media City Manchester) https://www.instagram.com/p/BygItrUgZU8/?igshid=e6qad7myjkzo

The opening of the group exhibition ‘Beyond Faith’, which includes some of my paintings, is on 13 June 5-7 pm, and I would be thrilled to see some of you there. The exhibition will run till November 2019. *** Beyond Faith: Muslim Women Artists Today This exhibition of five contemporary artists presents their work in conversation with pieces selected from the Whitworth’s art collection. It brings together the artworks and stories of artists Robina Akhter Ullah, Shabana Baig, Fatimah Fagihassan, Aida Foroutan and Usarae Gul as they explore themes of identity, faith, cultures, otherness and belonging. Investigating key questions around in/exclusion in art spaces and public collections, this group exhibition showcases the important and often overlooked contribution of Muslim women to culture and the arts in contemporary Britain. Combining graphic design, textiles, painting and photography, Beyond Faith will be shown in the Collection Centre and as part of an artist intervention in Four Corners of One Cloth: Textiles from the Islamic World. It marks the culmination of a major Arts and Humanities Research Council Project on the roles and experiences of Muslim women in the UK Cultural Industries led by Dr Saskia Warren, The University of Manchester. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UKRI) 14 June 2019 - 10 November 2019 #BeyondFaith @sagittamedia @janawendler @SaskiaWarren1 @WhitworthArt #whitworthartgallery #whitworth #sagittamedia #manchester https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/upcomingexhibitions/beyondfaith/ (at Central Manchester, Manchester) https://www.instagram.com/p/BydQTb3A3dJ/?igshid=1xi0dxfub6ee4