Muslim in America (Nancy) 2011
Aileen Bassis, USA
| My art has revolved around social and
political issues. Like many, I opposed the war in Iraq as misguided
and pointless, a waste of precious human life. Beau Beausoleil’s
call for book arts for this project immediately appealed to me as
a means to communicate across the divide between our culture and
the Arab world. At that time, in 2010, there was a great deal of press in the New York City area about a proposed Muslim community center in lower Manhattan that included a mosque. It created a firestorm of controversy and it was politicised by different groups and politicians, everyone with their own agenda. That swirl of rhetoric made me think about a question, what does it mean to be Muslim in America now? I interviewed and photographed several Muslim friends and acquaintances, discussing this question. In this book, “Muslim in America” (Nancy)”, photos of her are combined with photos taken around the area of the World Trade Center site. Her quote, “I get tired of defending my faith” also appears in Arabic. |
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