The narrow road lined by verdant trees snakes around the Bukit Tunku hill. It’s a quiet drive deep into the secluded parts of Kuala Lumpur still covered by towering trees filtering the bright sunlight of a typical sunny afternoon. Ensconced in a nook at the corner of the road, the gallery isn’t easy to spot at first.
A little bungalow surrounded by tall trees, birdsong and curious primates peering from between leafy branches, the Cult Gallery looks peaceful; almost belying the fact that behind those whitewashed walls lies a collection of artworks aiming to do just the opposite.
The Halal Haram exhibition features 44 artworks by 26 notable and emerging artists exploring the concept of halal and haram, something that remains a heated topic of conversation in our country these days. The Arabic words halal, which translates to “permissible,” and haram, which translates to “unlawful” or “forbidden,” are based in Islamic scripture and describe acts that go against or conform with holy texts. It was that basis that inspired local NGO Sisters in Islam to come up with the theme in the first place – the second in the SisArt edition, the first being Heaven, Hell, exhibited a year ago.
“We really liked this idea of the duality of our existence and how we constantly live within the spectrum of halal and haram,” explains Majidah Hashim, Sisters in Islam (SIS) communications manager. Cult gallery owner and board member of SIS, Suryani Senja Alias adds: “We want people to have lively discussions about the concept of art and to look deeper into the limits of ‘halal’ and ‘haram’.”
The two women lead the way into the quiet cool chambers of the hallway where well-known artist Ahmad Zakii Anwar’s painting Perempuan Berdiri grabs my attention. The charcoal rendering of a woman in kebaya, with a whip in hand and a cigarette in the other looms over me defiantly. Her face, obscured by smoke, gives her anonymity. The notable painter had said in his brief that his painting is an ode to all women in this country who are ready to stand up, be counted and fight for their rights. With the recent controversial news of the recent caning of Muslim women in Terengganu, this image – Zakii pointed out – transforms the idea of a woman from being a victim to one who’s decided to take control.
“It will certainly stir up a conversation,” I murmur, transfixed by the image. “That’s exactly what we want,” responds the bespectacled Majidah, smiling. “We want people to start talking. We’re challenging negative images and portrayals about the Muslim identity, defying labels and definitions and breaking down harmful walls. We want people to ask difficult questions.”
For Sisters In Islam, asking “difficult” questions sparked the birth of the women’s rights NGO. The NGO first assembled in 1987 within the Association of the Women Lawyers (AWL) when several women lawyers and their friends came together under the umbrage of the association's Syariah subcommittee to study problems associated with the implementation of new Islamic Family Laws legislated in 1984, and enforced in 1987.
The group comprising lawyers, academics, journalists, analysts and activists, met up with many women who shared their marital problems and the difficulties they faced when seeking legal redress from religious authorities. These early meetings focused on problems with the law and its implementation, and the solutions that were needed to remedy shortcomings within the system.
From organising workshops to highlight the problems women faced with the implementation of the new Family Laws and recommending reforms to ensure that Muslim women’s rights were upheld under the law, the group moved on to study the Quran to find out if the holy texts truly supported the oppression and ill-treatment of women. The group began to look afresh at section of texts used to justify domestic violence, polygamy, women’s unquestioning obedience to men, the inferior position of women as witnesses and gender inequality in general.
The group's textual studies opened up a world of Islam that was based on the principles of mercy, equality, justice and love. It became patently clear that it wasn’t Islam that oppressed women.
SIS wants to create more conversations in the community and make people think, Majidah explains. “We find art is such an interesting platform because where halal and haram are concerned, things are not really black and white. There are a lot of colours in between. Instead of ‘telling’ people, we encourage them to look at these artworks and interpret for themselves,” she says, smiling gently.
“It’s another way for us to raise the issues that we’ve been fighting for, in a different kind of language to reach a wider audience,” chips in Suryani, adding candidly: “We want to educate people and get them to talk in a safe space. When you bring forward an issue through a visual language, it becomes more palatable to people. People will listen better. You can’t be confrontational all the time.”
Original article can be found at https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2018/11/430043/controversial-art-depicting-subjects-halal-and-haram-sparks
