Bharat Choudhary

2012-01-23T12:29:00.021Z

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 many of the people 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 the half-truth; why it exists is the other half that my images should not ignore.

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 a lot of books.

Muslims, alongwith members of Neturei-Karta, an organization of Orthodox Jews, protest outside the Israeli Embassy in London to mark the third anniversary of Israel's attack on Gaza. Members of Neturei-Karta refuse to recognize the existence or authority of the ‘State of Israel’ and make a point of publicly demonstrating their position, the position of the Torah and authentic unadulterated Judaism. December 2011.

Ali Kadivar [left] plays a setar as his friend, Lukas Sherry, joins him at their apartment in Chapel Hill, USA. Ali, an Iranian, said, “The image that the western media presents of Iran, as conservative, backward, and homogeneous, is distorted and false. No doubt the Iranian government is oppressive and tries to impose a conservative life style on the Iranian population. But there are many pro-democracy Iranian citizens who defy this imposed life style everyday, in the way they dress, through the kind of books, movies, music, and art that they create or consume.” Ali is a PhD student at the University of North Carolina. December 2011.

A poster in an underground market appealing to support Islamic Relief’s Orphan welfare program. Established in 1984 in Birmingham, UK, Islamic Relief is the largest West- based international Muslim relief and development NGO. October 2011.

Aseem Hasnain at his apartment in Chapel Hill, NC., USA. He said, “I am not only a Muslim but many other things too. To categorize someone primarily in a religious template is a very statist and dangerous practice. Let me be a multiplicity of persons, an intersection of identities.” Hasnain is pursuing his PhD in Sociology at the University of North Carolina. December 2011.

Zaheer Abbas, 35, at his apartment in Chapel Hill, NC., USA. Abbas said, “I’m philosophically agnostic and politically an anarchist. So I guess that makes me a ‘bad’ Muslim and a ‘bad’ liberal. My wife jokingly calls me ‘Papa Bear’, but every time we fly back to the US from India, she insists that I shave my full beard so that we don’t have to wait too long at security checks at US airports”.

Azad Ali, 42, presents his show ‘Your Views on the News’ on Islam Channel, London, UK. In 2009, Ali was suspended from his job as a Treasury civil servant after a newspaper reported that Ali, on his blog, had advocated the killing of British soldiers in Iraq. Ali was later cleared by a Civil Service investigation into the allegations leveled against him. Ali said, “It was a difficult time. But I never lost hope. I always tell my three kids to work hard, with all their honesty and integrity and not to be affected by failures.” Ali holds a number of key positions today including the chair of the Muslim Safety Forum, leading its Counter Terrorism work-stream, working with the UK Home Office, MET Police and Security Services. January 2012.

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2011-11-04T09:20:00.084Z

The Silence of 'Others'

A friend once asked, 'Is there anything more than aesthetic appeal and information that inspires you to photograph a situation?' She was asking me to articulate the truth in my images, to explain the 'me' in my images. I was reminded of a quote which says that there is always more to the truth than just facts. It took me a little while to identify the common thread that binds my images and the project together.

I believe that I personally admire and try to create images which restore the silence of my soul yet stir my imagination. I am not too inspired by overtly expressive or loud emotive images. Such images unsettle me and cause a lot of internal disturbance and noise. That is why I am always searching for silent images that help me connect to my self and express the inexpressible.

This project has further strengthened my belief that the silence between two loud expressive moments is sometimes where the actual essence lies and to capture this silence is like capturing the soul of an ephemeral moment. That has been the objective of this project. More than being informative, these images intend to provide us with a moment of self-realization; a silent moment to connect with our inner self and to help us understand ourselves better.

Mother Teresa had once said, 'See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch souls.'

Negar Yousafzai, 27, a British Afghan, at her home in Birmingham, UK on November 2, 2011. Negar is an educated and well informed young woman. Here she asks, 'Who wants to hear the social or political opinions of a veiled woman like me. They only want to see pictures of oppressed Afghan women'.

Aman [left], prepares to join Abdus Sami in hosting a live show at the Muslim Community Radio station. Aman, a volunteer at the station, said, ‘There is no point in trying to convince extremists or atheists. But every religion has a population of practicing yet open-minded individuals. Let us try to bring this group of people together’. August 2011, London, UK.

Mohammed Ali [right] is an Islamic graffiti artist. He has exhibited his canvas-art and created public spiritual murals in the streets of London, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne and Dubai. He said, ' Amidst the negativity, I feel more encouraged to stick my neck out even further, go against the grain and express who I am, without any insecurity hindering my efforts. Despite this hype about Islam, I feel good about being a Muslim living in the West. It's an important time to challenge stereotypes and encourage real dialogue between ordinary people with different ideas, identities and backgrounds, not leave it to faith leaders sharing tea and biscuits'. September 26, 2011, Birmingham, UK.

Muslim men's tunic shirts in a shop at an underground business center. Many Muslim scholars advise men to be as modest in their appearance as women. They suggest that men should not wear their shirts tucked in their pants and it should be loose fitting enough to conceal all parts of the body. October 2011, London, UK.

Rezia Halima Wahid [right] and her 3-year old daughter, Noorie, at Rezia's studio in London, UK. Rezia is a textile artist and creates hand-woven textiles inspired by the airy lightness of seeding dandelions. Rezia said, 'Islam is a part of me , my existence, but my spirituality is something very personal. My identity as an artist is equally important and I want to be recognized for my work'. September, 2011.

Eid Fair at the Fryant Country Park, Outer London, UK, on August 30, 2011.

May Hnin Oo [left] and Guarbambee Win register guests at a community event organized by the Burmese Muslim Association, London, UK, on September 12, 2011.

2011-08-20T21:55:00.199+01:00

The Silence of 'Others': An Update

Some images from my recent work in England.

As always, I feel there is so much to share, in words and in pictures. Sadly, I have been quite irregular in sharing my work. I do not know if this habit is ever going to change but I pray it does.

My work with the Muslim community is an education. An ever-evolving understanding, coupled with complex evidences, suggests that I should wait some more before I term any of my findings as conclusions. But through these images, I am sharing several interesting and relevant units that would later combine to present the very important 'whole'.

To explore Islam as a religion and to photographically dissect the socio-cultural threads of Muslims in England is overwhelming. There is so much to know which is ignored and so much to see that remains hidden. Although, I am having my share of disappointments too, but the desire to go beyond the omnipresent obvious is keeping me fascinated.

Working intensively with a community is never easy. Firstly, because the search for project participants never ends and secondly, it's very natural to feel lost halfway through the journey and look for new directions. And if the photographer happens to be under the hypnotic spell of a quest for perfection, the only effective antidote is an even more intensive involvement with the community. The only way out is the way in.

But what makes this struggle painless is the reminder that the purpose is more sacred than the process. And why to complain about the process even? Isn't the idea of being hugged by strangers who are now your friends comforting enough? Or isn't the experience of setting yourself free and running on the streets , chasing elusive images, liberating enough? It is and that is what keeps most of us going.

Iythar, an Egyptian-British fine artist, paints at her studio at east London, on July 17, 2011. One of her paintings [top-left] is titled, 'The Way Sarkozy Intended It'. She said, "It is an interpretation of the burqa ban in France. It shows how the ban takes away the voice and identity of Muslim women, leaving them speechless and incomplete". Also seen in the picture is her husband, Ruh al- Alam, an artist and founder of 'Visual Dhikr', an Islamic calligraphic artwork project.

Ghost train and its passengers during a Community Fair at London, on July 31, 2011.

Nasima Akhtar [right], and her friend, Chaitali, get ready for a house party at Sheffield, on April 29, 2011.

Sarah Maple [left], tries out an old high school prom dress at her home at Crawley, on July 27, 2011. Sarah is a Muslim artist and uses her artwork to challenge traditional notions of religion, identity and the societal role of women.

Keleke Anyabwile [right], during her wedding at Slough, on July 2, 2011. Keleke's family migrated to England from The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Her father, Shaykh Hasan [not seen here], is an Islamic leader of the local Afro-Caribbean Muslim Community.

Abdul, 9, listens to his uncles and father, Imran Hussain [left], practice Qawwali at their home at Middlesex, on July 31, 2011. Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music and the Hussain brothers are professional Qawwali singers.

A young man walks past a mural at Princelet street, near Bricklane, London. Bricklane is a famous street in east London and is the heart of Bangladeshi Muslim community in England. Photographed on August 8, 2011.

Members of a role-play team after their act at a local community event at London, on June 26, 2011. The play was a fictional narration of the many problems that the present day young Muslims face [right] and how they can live a better life by following the examples of ancient Islamic leaders [left].

Ustad Hajji Ameer Khan [standing] says a prayer before he and his team leaves for a musical performance at London on August 6, 2011.

2010-12-22T01:04:00.075Z

The Silence of 'Others'

My ongoing project, 'The Silence of Others', wishes to explore the emotions of young Muslims in the face of negative perceptions and religious discrimination in the post 9/11 and 7/7 era. Each image strives to understand and communicate the frustration, depression and confusion of Muslims growing up in what some are terming as an Islamophobic society.

Today, Muslims world over are being viewed as 'Fundamentalists' and 'Terrorists'. Terrorists are the evil 'Others', and the 'Other' is often the bearded or veiled Muslim in general. This negative image tends to raise suspicions on an entire faith, portraying it as fundamentally alien and attributing to its followers an inherent set of negative traits, such as irrationality, intolerance and violence. Such assumptions have led to biases, misunderstanding, stereotyping and hostility towards Islamic culture. As a researcher, I intend to understand the influence of socio-political discourses on young Muslim minds and how their external world is structuring their internal sense of self.

I have been researching and photographing this project for almost a year now. Earlier in America and now in England. I have met young Muslims who have experienced physical or verbal assaults and many more who are silently battling a psychosocial crisis. Using in-depth interviewing I have sought to better understand their perceptions. In images, I am trying to capture their activities, behaviors, emotions, personal spaces and external interactions in an attempt to unravel how each situation can reveal the lived struggle of young Muslims. These images are not of exact moments, but are images of the silence between numerous loud moments. These images are not of what an eye can see but attempt to reveal what an eye might overlook.

I am not a Muslim and ‘The Silence of Others’ is not about taking sides. Its purpose is to understand the psychosocial experiences of a community. Its goal is to articulate individual opinions, perceptions and to let the inner voices of young Muslims be heard.

Presently in London, I am working on the second phase of the project which is being supported by the Alexia Foundation for World Peace and Cultural Understanding Grant, 2011.

Community members leave the East London Mosque after Eid prayers at Whitechapel road, London, UK, on November 16, 2010. Combined with the adjoining London Muslim Centre, it is one of the largest mosques in United Kingdom.

Amina Demir [left] and her younger sister were in their car when a middle-aged Caucasian male in a car next to them shouted, ‘sand nigger’ and drove away. Amina followed his car, noted the license number and went to the police. A local court later sentenced the man to 150 hours of community service. Photographed on June 3, 2010 at Bridgeview, Illinois.

Anida Yoeu Ali, a Muslim artist, shared her disappointment a few days after vandals defaced her exhibit at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, on May 11th, 2010. The exhibit, which addressed racial profiling and the rise of violence and hate directed at Muslims in the post-9/11 era, was vandalized with large caricatures and a word bubble highlighting the text “Kill all Arabs”.

Iqbal Shariff, 24, practices punch combinations at the Ultimate Fitness gymnasium at Evanston, Illinois, on May 17th, 2010. Iqbal said, "As a child I always thought that a situation similar to the French revolution would occur in my neighborhood and people will take over my house. I was very scared then and felt that I would lose everything because of being a Muslim."

Deeba Safi, 25, prays at her house in St. Joseph, Missouri, on March 4, 2010. Deeba and her husband, Ahmad, have been working with other Muslim families to establish the first Mosque in St. Joseph and have faced a lot of resistance from the local non-Muslims.

Kaiser Aslam, 19, was sketching the Chicago skyline at the Ohio Street beach, USA, on May 24, 2010, as his art sheets flew around. Kaiser said, “It's not easy. There are a lot of temptations in this society but it’s my faith in Allah, and his blessings that shield me from all wrongdoings”.

From left, Minhaj, Ashiq, Shofique and Abid pictured just before they left London to attend a gathering on Islam and Young Muslims in Birmingham, UK on October 17^th, 2010.

Eric Bhaimia, 21, stops for directions at the N. Wells bridge in Chicago, Illinois. “I do not come to this part of the city frequently as I always feel that I am lost in this crowd of people”, he said. Photographed on May 24, 2010.

Nick [left], 23 years old, blind, and a recent convert to Islam waits alongwith Ahmad Safi, 29, for the prayers to begin at the local Mosque in St. Joseph, Missouri, on March 6, 2010. Behind them, on the wall, is a banner displaying verses from the Quran. Nick said, "I can't see but those who can, they should read the Quran and see for themselves if it preaches violence or not ?"

Safina Rehman [name changed] is ready with henna on her hand to attend the Eid party at her house in Bricklane, London, UK, on November 16, 2010.

Amina Demir, 24, performs the 1700% poem at the Sullivan gallery, Chicago, Illinois, on May 21, 2010. 1700% project, by Anida Yoeu Ali, is an unapologetic response to injustices directed at the Muslim community. The poem is a Cento (100 lines of found writings) based on filed reports of hate and bias crimes against “Arabs” and “Muslims” since 9/11. The 1700% Project specifically intervenes against the racial profiling and rise of violence and hate directed at Muslims in a post 9/11 era.

In front of the East London Mosque at Whitechapel Road, London, on November 16, 2010.

Young Muslims gather outside the Israeli Embassy in London on December 27, 2010, to mark the second anniversary of Israel's attack on Gaza. The attack on Gaza in 2008 destroyed its infrastructure and left 1400 Palestinians dead.

Caitlyn Green [right], 19, and her friend Khadija Noor [name changed], 29, photographed in a field outside Columbia, Missouri, on July 2, 2010. Caitlyn lives in a rural town and converted to Islam more than a year ago. But her catholic parents and relatives have not accepted her decision. Caitlyn said, "People ask me whether a hijab on my head makes me feel uncomfortable. Actually, wearing the hijab is not difficult if people around you understand your religion. Since they cannot accept me with a hijab on my head, it gets difficult for me too".

A man walks past a poster at the Global Peace and Unity event in London, UK, on October 23, 2010. The British government boycotted the annual event this year claiming that many extremist groups were also participating and funding the event.

A young Muslim girl photographed during a fair in London, UK, on October 24, 2010.

Yaser Aslam, 22, walks past by an art installation at the Stained Glass Museum in Chicago, Illinois, on April 29, 2010. In January 2002, after the failed shoe bombing incident, Yaser and his younger brother were at a local shoe store with their friends when a female store employee walked up to them and commented, “These shoes are meant for display and not for destruction.”