The Silence of 'Others'
Around two and a half years ago, I set in motion the physical manifestation of an idea, some emotions and a bit of hope. Thus began the development of images and words that could represent the world around me and many ‘others’. What ails my calm now is the need to identify a route for the onward journey. What more is to be done now? A lot more, is the right answer.
The Silence of ‘Others’ began with an objective to document evidences of Islamophobia and to present a balanced understanding of the young Muslim community. To understand those who fail to qualify for an appearance in the formulaic images of Muslims prostrating or burning American/British flags on the streets. This work was consciously designed not to fall for exotic religious rituals or to produce conventional images of veils as symbols of oppression and beards as signs of ‘fundamentalism’. I have worked hard to keep my pictures honest, focusing primarily on human experiences, emotions and aspirations. These images have essentially highlighted the alienation of young Muslims. Exploring deeper into the issue, over the next few months I am hoping to reveal important social, political and economic factors that are fueling this alienation. To photograph what exists is speaking a half-truth; why it exists is the other half that should not be ignored.
But this is easier said than done. The presence of significantly divergent and extremely polarized opinions on the issue makes this task complex. It will be a tough job to photographically investigate broader social or political factors contributing to the issue and, without sacrificing neutrality, to also depict the issue’s impact on communities.
A good idea for now is to begin by reading some books.
A good idea for now is to begin by reading some books.
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