#activist embroidery

[lovestonedliberty]

Two days until 4.20 🍃💨💚

I’ve listed a couple canvas on Etsy + clothing will be listed over the next few days.

It’s time to legalize cannabis…with home grow! Honestly, it’s time to end Federal Prohibition altogether, and let Citizens of the States decide if they want cannabis legal or not.

The fight is far from over!

[safaakhatib]

Martyrs of Gaza

"As a family they loved to read together, and together in their home in the North, they became Martyrs"

At 18 years old, Janna was supposed to be in her final year of high school; she was among the highest-ranking students. She loved to recite poetry and the Quran for her family; at gatherings they would recite together.

They were a cultured family who loved embroidery and reading books.

They remained in the North and together they became martyrs on the December 8th; when their home, where they had sought safety, was bombed.

Please save my children from the horrors of war so they can go to a safe place. Donate every 1$ that contributes to saving us

[magicmindless]

A HC List but it’s just Lois Stilnsky

First HC list that doesn’t have to do with Papa Louie lets go

- Early 40s maybe. She’s a kind, caring lady but she can have a bit of an attitude sometimes

- She’s been used as an armrest before because she’s short. She doesn’t appreciate it

- When she was around her 20s she found Roman beaten in an alleyway and left for dead by who he thought were his allies (yeah, gang/mafia stuff). She aided him however she could and then called an ambulance

- Despite being short, she hogs the bed at night, taking up over half of it. Roman has to constantly push her aside so that he can sleep comfortably with her

- Her dad is dead… yeah that’s it, he died of a heart attack

- She came from a humble middle class family. Her father also happened to be an accountant and her mother was a women’s rights activist (she’s retired now)

- As telling from her entry requests she seems to have a good relationship with her mother. They usually just have tea and snacks together and they never run out of things to talk about

- She loves desserts, anything with raspberries in them she’s down for, and also likes white chocolate over other chocolates (even if it technically isn’t chocolate)

- She became a housewife because she didn’t mind it. It’s her own choice and no one told her to do it so she felt fine just taking care of the house and occasionally going out shopping or whatever

- Roman kind of spoils her. The first gift she’s ever gotten from him was her hat she always wears ingame

- I’m sorry but I can’t come up with a reason for her hair covering her eyes. I don’t really wanna say scarring so… yeah, she just likes it

- Her favorite types of shows are dramas, romcoms, and oddly cooking shows. Most days when she has little energy or she’s done with all of her housework she watches TV

- She also likes embroidery. She has embroidered Romans handkerchiefs and even his ties which he wears under his suit (he does love them a lot)

- She’s a pouty person. Roman tells her that’s what she has the most in common with her mom: They both pout and stay silent when they’re pissed off

- She likes setting up tea dates with the other ladies, usually Rafttellyn though because she’s the only other person home most of the time. They both know dirt on everyone

- She loves teasing Roman, but when he teases her back she acts pouty (she loves it when he teases her back)

(Last little note here I am once again so sorry about the people who never got hc lists they requested for certain people, I’ve been in a massive writing block for a while and it got worse this summer, I can’t even write for my original characters but my motivation to write seems to be back? Kind of? Idk I hope it’ll come back fully with milk soon-)

[natequarter]

AITA for engaging with English politics?

I (37F) am French and moved to England when I married my husband (39M) aged twelve (which I resent to this day). Though we grew up together, we never bonded, perhaps because I hate this country and all you English pricks. Nonetheless, he suggested recently that I should learn English (as he is a stupid man incapable of noticing what is right before his eyes), or at least find a hobby (I don't know what's wrong with embroidery, but he insisted...).

Since he is my lord husband and I'm supposed to agree with what he says (even though he doesn't say anything), I obliged, and started a "book club." It should be obvious here that it is not a "book club" (I don't know what that even is), but instead an opportunity to gather with friends (27M, 62M, 43M, 19M, 33M, 37M, 51M, 29M, 34M, 33M, 49M, 48M, 24M, 44M, 37F) and discuss English politics. As English citizens (mostly), we felt it was our God-given right to get involved in our country's politics. You might even say we are activists. Anyway, we came into contact with the leader of the rival party to Queen Elizabeth's, discussing how we might mitigate her influence and steer England towards a brighter future.

All was going well, until my husband, who is a nosy arsehole, decided to look in on private matters after we had left. At this point he discovered what might be considered "incriminating" (for some reason) information regarding a planned protest. At this we were arrested by some of the queen's men, though I and a few others escaped. Unfortunately, my husband was killed in the process, because, like the idiot that he was, he ignored everything I said and chose to "protect" me (he could not protect his way out of a paper bag).

Some would consider this behaviour "terrorism" (?) or murder. AITA here?

EDIT: No, I did not mean to write "King Charles." I am from 1585. Who is King Charles? What is wrong with you? And what in the name of sweet Jesu is "the USA"?

[mateodoodle]

Yes, the Blockout2024 is important but are you following Palestinian creators? Do you engage with content, products, art, etc made by Palestinians? I admit that even I personally have only recently begun intentionally engaging with Palestinian creators/activists/artists online so this is in no way a harsh criticism. Rather, I want non-Palestinians like myself to show more effort into uplifting Palestinians with the same fervor we distance ourselves from the celebs who at best do the bare minimum. We need to do better than the celebrities we are targetting. This is a great continuation of the efforts this trend and others like it are creating.

You can't just eliminate the voices who do harm from your circle of influence. You also have to amplify, enage with, and financially back Palestinians directly. No more politics telephone. No more listening to your fave white (and simply non-Palestinian) content creators who heard x from their fave white/non-Palestinian content creators who heard x from their faves and so on. Learn about Palestine directly from the mouths of Palestinians. Non-Palestinian allies are integral to this movement, but we need to center Palestinians in our education, conversation, and the ways we spend our money

V short list of starting points under the read more! Most on Instagram admittedly bc thats the only other social media I frequent

And please! Share your favorite Palestinian creators, celebrities, comedians, etc whether they're on this list or not!

Music

Amira Jazeera (pop singer, she reminds me a bit of Chappell Roan though I know v little of her aesthetic and musical style) on Instagram @/amirajazeera

Bashar Murad (almost got into Eurovision, wonder why he wasn't permitted 🙄 (eye-roll) and his new single "Wild West" i listened to on repeat for um. Far too long) on Instagram @/basharmuradofficial

Goods

Hirbawi (last Palestinian keffiyah store on Palestinian soil, beautiful designs as well as advocacy) on Instagram @/hirbawi

For Your Viewing Pleasure (Palestinian/indigenous-owned, women run clothing shop creates great pro-Palestine and generally left-leaning clothes and tote bags that make a political statement (do not wear easily recognizeable clothes like their products at protests!)) On Instagram @/foryourviewingpleasure

The Pali Project (Palestinian owned clothing, phone cases, mugs, etc. Go up to 5xl. Donate portion of proceeds to Palestinian causes) on Instagram @/thepaliproject

Darzah Designs (non-profit where all proceeds go directly to the women in Gaza who hand-stitch each piece and train more Palestinian women in safe working environments along the West Bank! The most intricate, indigenous Palestinian tatreez and Tahriri embroidery I have ever seen) on Instagram @/darzahdesigns

Activists in Palestine

Yusuf Abu Hattab (teen documenting daily life in Gaza) on Instagram @/reachyusuf

Hind Khoudary (reporter in Gaza, journalist for Al Jazeera) on Instagram @/hindkhoudary

Ali Jadallah (photographer in Gaza) on Instagram @/alijadallah66

Media and The Arts

Jenan Matari (producer & writer & activist. Has a reels folder on her Instagram where she spotlights talented Palestinian creators) on instageam @/jenanmatari

Dalia Elcharbini (art student with a print shop online filled with intricate, amazing art) on Instagram @/daliaeart

Luay Gharfai (chef who shares Palestinian recipes and gardening techniques) on Instagram @/urbanfarmandkitchen

Mariam (chef who shares The Most Delicious recipes I've ever had the pleasure of recreating! Those texas roadhouse rolls copycat recipe... Her desserts? To die for) on Instagram @/mxriyum and on her food blog where her recipes are written on mxriyum . com (broken up so its not a link)

[violet-hearth]

Devotional Art and Art Magic!

Happy Friday!

Visual art is such an underutilised tool, especially by beginner and younger practitioners. I understand that we all start off excited by spell bags and witch bottles and potions, but as a queer person, so many of us express ourselves through our art and expression can be as big a part of spells as the ingredients (for me expression and intention go hand in hand).

Art has been used both in devotion and in blessings. Displaying art of house blessings was a means to bless the home permanently (Judaism), icons of saints were used as a form of veneration and in prayer (Catholic), and there are several articles and books that dive into art as prayer (mostly Christian).

Sigils + Vision Boards:

Sigils are a visual representation of intent and desire in spellwork and can be incorporated into art through large paintings, sewing patches onto your coat, buttons and badges, painted onto stones, vases, embroidery etc.

Like sigils, a collage can be used as a visual representation of your desire or intent - they can also be an art form of their own and be made as a form of devotional art. 

Fashion:

Fashion and style witchcraft are about coordinating your look into your goals and intentions. Whether this is through charmed jewellery, symbols, sigils, colour associations or flagging. Queer aesthetics is a huge thing for identifying ourselves and the community, and as a queer witch I love charming my carabiner, wearing queer jewellery, and playing with gender. 

The aesthetics of the DIY movement and the aesthetics of queer culture are almost interchangeable. The appeal comes from the look and the fuck-the-man attitude itself, but also from the connection of having handmade, community-focused things by your side. (Queering Your Craft) 

Masks:

Masks can be a great way of incorporating sympathetic and symbolic magic into a larger ritual. Masks can be used to represent archetypes of characters or energies.

In worship of Dionysus, the communicants’ attempt to impersonate the deity by donning goatskins and by imbibing wine and wear a disguise or white linen mask to enable the leaders of the ceremony to make the god manifest. (Britannica)

Masks have been sued in mystery plays, comedia dell’arte, opera, Noh, Dance of the Red Tiger Devil - for both sacred and entertainment productions.

Creating Queer Devotional Art

To protect/enchant the hearts and voices of activists - This spell is meant to protect our hearts and souls, but can be used to honour our queer cultural ancestors, friends, and adapted for honouring deities.

You need:

Art/collage/craft supplies - paint, markers, papers, canvas, glue, magazines, poetry, pens, embroidery, quilting squares etc.

An idea or image you want to create

A white candle

Inspiration:

Devotional art

Jewish Paper Cutting

NAMES project

Queer zines

Protest signs

Trans/Queer Protest Chants

To perform this spell:

Anoint, pray, bless, carve a sigil into etc. The candle and light it - candles often represent the soul so here we’ll let it burn until it naturally extinguishes if safe to do so (a mall candle may be better)

Start creating your image, add in aspects of queer resistance, joy, history, pain, the messages of your own activism. A symbols, symbolism, images of famous activists, sigils, poetry - whatever speaks to you.

If desired, pray, or bless or say an incantation as you finish the piece

Place this art somewhere visible in your house - this spell can also maybe used to make a good sign or banner at protests - optionally turn into a zine, carry around devotional art and art magic in a little notebook or specific sketchbook

This is a very low stakes type of protection. People have been making talismans and hanging up protective decor for centuries. From gargoyles to garlic wreaths to decorative home blessings. This is just a modern adaptation to this world-wide tradition, with a queer and activist focused twist xx

[historia-vitae-magistras]

Character Profile — Ireland

Character Name: Éire. The Republic of Ireland, the Island of Ireland. Brighid Kelly, Brid Ó Ceallaigh, Bridgie, Aunt Bridgie, Auntie, Mum, Mam. Imbolc or St. Brighid's Day is the spring festival in ancient times and under the Catholic Church and she kept it for that reason. The night will end.

Age: Late 30s, modern day.

Height: 5''8/173cm

Physical Description: Brighid spent the most time with their mother and shared her looks the most. Her circumstances have changed in innumerable ways, but Brighid carries herself like the druid and warrior queen her mother raised her to be. Not hunger, hardship or her reduced place in the world ever bent her back, and now she stands free and tall in her own right. Very fair, she's got a smattering of freckles across her body, a sharp face with what can bee an otherworldly beauty to her. Her people populated much of her brother's children, and her looks have added a slightly ethereal look to them in the right light or surreal circumstances, resulting in both Alfred and Jack being mistaken for changelings.

Eye colour: Green. But not only the green of her isle but the churning blues and greys of the sea. Her eyes can't quite decide what colour they want to be and will vary on her clothes and the lighting.

Hair colour/style: Red. Hibernian gold was a red gold metal, likely mixed with copper, from Ireland in ancient times, and her hair is that exact shade. She has always worn it long, often bound up with ribbons, a snood, or just braided. It's curly, especially when she can care for it in modern times.

Personal Appearance/Style: In the modern day, she likes fine things. Irish-made linens and wools, and like most nations of her age, she doesn't like artificial products. Deprived of much of her dignity for much of history, she takes much pride in her appearance now and wears nice jewelry and clothes for most occasions. She wears many wool sweaters, high-waisted trousers and boots out in the country and still tends to wear a nightgown to sleep out of habit.

Verbal Style: Speaks English with her Irish accent and refuses to do otherwise. Speaks Irish in all the surviving dialects and some that are no longer alive.

Level of Education: A thousand years ago, she was the most educated person in Europe, with Irish monasteries and nunneries preserving much of European knowledge. But in the intervening centuries, stripped of much of her cultural knowledge and education increasingly only available in English, she felt somewhat behind in technology because she was trying to fucking survive, but always made a point to seek out new information when she could and probably taught a hedge school herself in the 18th century. From Alfred's independence, she kept a close correspondence with him. When she became independent in her own right, it was with a lot of American capital and encouragement, as well as infusions of cash from American institutions; she became one of the most educated countries in Western Europe and the world again by the end of the 20th century.

Occupation: These days, she works as an Irish teacher, sometimes even in the preschools when she's in a maternal mood, but she is also a diplomat, political activist, businesswoman and

Past Occupations: Weaver, farmer, nun, abbess, governess, union organizer, activist, labourer, teacher, social worker, factory worker, tailor, charwoman, cobbler, laundress, dressmaker, milliner, brewster, distiller, embroiderer, dyer. You name it; she's probably done it to survive.

Skills, Abilities or Talents: She's incredibly talented at all things textile. Embroidery, weaving, springing, making flax and fleece in to linen and wool. She's skilled at navigation and boats, but on a smaller scale than her brother or nephews, and prefers to stay closer to the shore. She's also incredibly musically and artistically gifted with her Celtic influence found across the world. Fiddle, harp and her voice are her favourites but she can just about play or sing anything put in front of her.

Admirable Personality Traits: Friendly, passionate, blunt, welcoming, warm, affectionate and witty.

Negative Personality Traits: Angry, moody, depressive, stubborn, and impatient but she has literally no reason not to be those things considering her history, christ.

Sense of Humor: Playful, subversive, a bit twisted, and loves a good use of word play or a pun.

Physical/Mental illness or affliction: She's been through so much, and it shows in her body. She's had problems with her digestive tract for decades, anemia, and a lot of trauma. She's remarkably well-adjusted, considering her history. However, her friends and her brother's children still get phone calls in what should be the dead of night for Brighid, and it is usually the morning for him because she's having a bad day. She'll call Alasdair more often than the other two of her brothers and Alfred, but her relationship with Alfred is a lot more of her giving him advice than him comforting her. A lot of the time, she calls Jack at the asscrack of dawn for him to wake him up and maybe accidentally hears a confused, sleepy "Mum?" like he's still small enough to cradle in her arms. But they talk a lot. She was probably the first of her siblings to go to therapy, second in the family only after Matt.

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, embroidery, knitting, hiking, shinty, hurling. She's getting more fit these days and more able to do exerting activities. Baseball was largely taken from a game called rounders, and she'll throw a ball around, but also dearly loves hurling and Gaelic football.

Favourite Foods: Brighid doesn't have a single favourite food. Bread, cheese, smoked salmon, boxty, barmbrack, soda bread, stew, colcannon and champ, spagbol, meat and veg, steak and chips, toasties, tikka masala, fish and chips. She was thrilled when Jack learned how to cook Greek and Italian and wanted to show it off, and she's always down to have some beers and go absolute ham on some pub food with Alfred.

Most important personal item: I don't think, with her insane history, she got to keep anything personal her entire life. But I think she has a set of very nice emeralds that Alfred gave her when she first came to America that she's incredibly fond of. A lot of her best jewelry is from Alfred.

Person/friend close to character: She's fairly close to her brothers all things considered, but things are certainly easier with Rhys and Alasdair than with Arthur. Two thousand years of fuckery isn't exactly water under the bridge, but it's not exactly brought up in every conversation, either if only because Brighid is tired. She's very close to Alfred, which I'm only recently exploring, but the sheer amount of Gaelic songs about America and Australia gives me fucking emotions. Her situation got so much less desperate after Alfred intervened at certain points, and I think he probably even gave her an allowance anonymously because she deserved so, so much more than his people or the United Kingdom was giving her, and he's very fond of her. Jack's her baby boy in every way, except he calls her his aunt most of the time because Arthur sorted it that way.

Brief family history: She was born to Brigantia/Brittania in the pre-roman period, she's not exactly sure how old she is, but she's older by at least 300 years than Alasdair and more like 500 for Rhys and Arthur. Her relationship with her siblings is difficult, to say the least, but she especially shares close linguistic ties with Alasdair. Her brother's children are also very important in her life, with Alfred forming an incredibly important part of her life, politics, history and economy. Things are occasionally difficult between her and Alfred, but generally, it's a good relationship. She's emotionally closest with Jack, feeling stronger maternal feelings with him than his brothers because of her role in both his earliest years and him being the most Irish nation outside of Ireland.

Most painful experiences in the character’s past: Where in god's name do I even start? When they buried their mother in the late ancient period, maybe the 4th century for her as a person? The famine would probably be the worst, how it hollowed her out for generations, the hell on earth of being rolled onto a coffin ship and burning with fever in a shed in Toronto before Matt and Alfred can finally get her to America. She's seen famine, plagues, invasions, and everything in between.

Their Song: The Voice by Celtic Woman

[trans-axolotl]

also i need to remember to go pick up more narcan bc i just ran out again. will put that on my to do list for the week. wait maybe i'll just write out my new tasks list for week instead of trying to just remember this all in my head

tues:

pick up testosterone prescription

IOF off campus protest

stretching routine + flexibility and splits

weds:

get more narcan

ask MT if i can borrow her heels and try on

interview for keynote speaker event

check in with youth activist group + see what support they need

harm reduction sh skillshare

stretching routine + flexibility and splits

thurs:

wheelchair skills practice if time.

check in about abolition in psychiatry panel.

stretching routine + flexibility and splits

fri:

grocery shopping. restock first aid kit also bc S used up like half the supplies.

laundry

psych abuse article research

stretching routine + flexibility and splits

sat:

harm reduction outreach on the van

day of action beforehand if can get to outreach in time

sun:

rest rest rest

embroidery project time perhaps!

rest. rest. rest.

make plans for rest of week (thesis work)

[whatsupwithspring]

I once learned an incredibly impressive thing from the video of the "шалені авторки" channel (translation probably “crasy female autors”). An album of Ukrainian folk embroideries collected by Olena Pchilka was presented at the world exhibition in Paris, to which was built the actual Eiffel Tower. What's more, she collected them during the Ems Ukaz, which banned literally everything Ukrainian (by russia of course, should I remind you that they wanted to destroy us for the centuries?) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ems_Ukaz)

Olena Pchilka was quite famous ukrainian writer born in 1849. And she is also the first woman academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, ethnographer, interpreter, civil activist  and incredibly brave woman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olena_Pchilka)

And a couple of weeks ago, some very nice person helped me to find a digitization of this album, and it touches my Ukrainian heart very much.

Колись з відео каналу "шалені авторки" я дізналась неймовірно вражаючу штуку. На всесвітній виставці в Парижі, до якої власне Ейфелеву вежу побудувати, був представлений альбом українських народних вишивок зібраних Оленою Пчілкою. При чому збирала вона їх під час дії вже Емського указу який забороняв буквально все українське.

А ще вона перша жінка академік української академії наук, етнографка, громадська діячка, фольклористка і жінка неймовірної сміливості

І от пару тижнів тому мені допомогли знайти оцифровку цього альбому і це дуже сильно торкається мого українського серденька.

https://diasporiana.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/books/11927/file.pdf

[catdotjpeg]

On a sunny but cold Sunday afternoon, hundreds of pro-Palestine activists unfurled a massive quilt on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, calling for an end to Israel’s hostilities in Gaza. The action, which began around 12:40pm today, March 24, attracted over 350 participants.  Titled “From Occupation to Liberation,” the quilt was comprised of 65 artworks by various anonymous artists, some featuring traditional Palestinian taṭrīz embroidery. Other squares referenced poet Refaat Alareer, who was killed by Israeli bombardments in Gaza, and Thomas Kilpper’s “Jenin Horse” (2003) — a 16-foot sculpture that previously stood in the West Bank city of Jenin before it was removed by Israeli forces in late October. As the quilt was spread out across the museum’s main entrance, activists encircled the display, carrying signs that read “We See Genocide,” “Let Gaza Live,” and “None Of Us Are Free Until Palestine Is Free.” Simultaneously, protesters chanted phrases such as “Free Palestine” and “Art for Liberation, Not for Colonization” while various groups put on performances in reference to Palestinian dabkeh folk dance.

Organizers of the protest told Hyperallergic that the artwork was modeled after the historic NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Prints of the quilt are also available for purchase online. All proceeds will go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the humanitarian relief organization that aids Palestinian refugees in Gaza and elsewhere, recently targeted by Israel and the US. The action came barely a week after the release of a group open letter signed by 158 Met workers urging the institution’s Director and Chief Executive Officer Max Hollein to issue a statement in support of a ceasefire and address Israel’s destruction of Palestine. No arrests were made, despite heavy police presence ahead of the protest. Patrons were still able to enter and exit the museum, some approached by protesters who handed out mock Met brochures. 

Urging people to “Dump the Fine Art of Imperialism,” the brochures called out the museum’s role in upholding colonialist power structures. They cited The Met’s physical location on Indigenous Lenape land, as well as its ties to Israeli violence via trustees and donors including Michael Steinhardt, Ronald S. Lauder, and Ted Pick. There were a few confrontations between the demonstrators and passersby, some escalating to shouting matches. Other bystanders welcomed the protest, some even joining in. Flor Sarna, a tourist from New Mexico, told Hyperallergic she was “pleasantly surprised“ by the action. Jacki Steiger, a museum visitor on a business trip from Los Angeles, said they were “overwhelmed,” but “glad to see so many people out” in support of Palestinians. 

“Everyone has a responsibility to speak up and to do what they can to spread information about the genocide in Gaza,” said actor Rowan Blanchard, who participated in the action, pointing out the significant platform that the museum holds, especially as the annual Met Gala approaches. The Met declined to comment on the protest. The protesters’ original plan to march toward the Neue Galerie and Guggenheim Museum up Fifth Avenue was scrapped in the interest of safety. The group dispersed peacefully around 2:30pm. 

-- "Activists Unfurl Massive Quilt for Gaza on Met Museum Steps" by Maya Pontone and Rhea Nayyar for Hyperallergic, 24 Mar 2024

[the-romantic-lady]

A few weeks ago it was said that the invitation had not yet been sent, what went out was the sabe the date, only those who RSVPed would recieved the invitation about 3 weeks before the event. It said that the deadline to RSVP was April 15. The dress code usually comes in the invitation right?

I'm just trying to find an excuse to still maybe we have other dress code, because daydress is so underwhelming. If we are getting full bang, the people who need to make the embroidery dresses, like Camilla, Catherine, Anne, Sophie will already know the dress code. The other people don't need much notice, just need to find a long gown and send their tiaras to the jewelry for some cleaning.

I'm grasping straws here because if it is daydress I'll be passing, I'm not even religious to watch just a Church service. It's such a shame, without the pomp and circumstance what do they have? Activists who have taxpayer funded security?

You are probably right. I personally don’t think the working royals will be in day dress. If there are whispers of this, it is from people trying to mislead the media or just media speculation itself. The tiara news came from People and if you read what was actually said, then it seems like a “no comment” about this situation. Hopefully, you and I are right and it’s all good at the end.

Granted that even if certain invitations say day dress that doesn’t necessarily mean the royals will be in day dress. The state opening of parliament is a tiara event for royal ladies and everyone else wear day dress. I think we might see similar scenes and now feel slightly better lol.

[hummussexual]

An embrace of queer identity and intimacy, the newly installed exhibition 'Habibi, the revolutions of love' showcases and questions the ideas surrounding queer love in the Arab world and beyond, countering orthodox perceptions through creativity.

Florence Massena 08 February, 2023

In a colourful setting on level -1 of the Arab World Institute (IMA) in the heart of Paris, installations, videos, paintings, drawings, designs and embroideries are showcased until February 19 under the title Habibi, the revolutions of love.

The exhibition focuses on queer love and expression in the Arab world, as well as Iran and Afghanistan, shedding light on an often taboo topic in the countries the artists come from.

The exhibition itself is far from a narrow portrayal of love under oppression.

It goes through motions and narratives, embracing more complex issues such as exile, politics, survival, intimacy and finding happiness, either at home or abroad.

The selection of more than 20 artists, sometimes gathered in collaborations or collectives, from very various countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Algeria, Jordan and Tunisia, bring to life a lot of creativity and desire.

The exhibition turns easily into a conversation between the artists and the themes, which answer each other with harmony and subtlety.

The project itself was born from conversations led between curators and contemporary artists during and after the IMA’s exhibition Divas, from Oum Kalthoum to Dalida back in 2021.

“There were these constellations of themes that could be explored setting up around us, and we have seen a lot of interrogations on genders and sexualities,” Elodie Bouffard, the exhibition curator alongside Khalid Abdel-Hadi and Nada Majdoub, told The New Arab. “It kind of imposed itself on us!”

The choice was not to focus on geography and lead a “country by country” organisation, but instead to highlight the creations’ quality and make it a topic among the others as it is often done in an institution such as IMA.

“The artistic expression is itself enough, led by a new scene that will certainly make the contemporary scene of tomorrow,” Elodie said.

“We made sure to see what united the pieces, and we saw that it goes beyond the topic of sexuality. Some cross paths, some clash with their activism and others are more playful, some are feminists… The queer topic is the line that allows us to question the ideas of norms, social identities, body’s politicisation, the question of surveillance as well as the way others perceived you, notably through the European gaze.”

Despite the choice to open to many countries and artists, Lebanon is overly represented, through the presence of many Lebanese artists but also artists who lived and worked in Beirut for a few months or years.

“In Lebanon, you have a lot of personalities, many spaces dedicated to cultural interventions as well as an activist History through organizations like Helem for example [first LGBTQIA+ rights organisation in the Arab world] that did a lot for LGBTQ+ struggles,” Elodie explained. “All of this combined makes Lebanon an unavoidable place to work and exhibit for queer artists from the region.”

This is the case of Alireza Shojaian, an Iranian artist born in 1988 and who lived a few years in Beirut before moving on to Paris in 2019. “I was an artist in Iran but my art was sitting in my closet,” Alireza told The New Arab.

“In Lebanon, I could create and be exhibited, there is freedom and space to do that there and that’s why it’s so represented in that exhibition. You know, the first time I was exhibited was in another Arab country! I often feel that the Iranian authorities try to prevent us to travel to the rest of the region so that we don’t find the spaces of expression that exist.”

The main work he is exhibiting is a big mural called The Mirror, a self-portrait representing his suspended time in Beirut through the city in the background, his identity through the books on the shelf and his state of mind, a lingering sadness as a person in exile.

It also represents five photographs on the mirror, one of an intimate moment of his life, one of his military service, Bashasha and a friend by 1950s Lebanese photographer Heshem el Madani, US gay activist and politician Harvey Milk, as well as Two Men Dancing, a photograph from Robert Mapplethorpe, from a 1980s performance piece entitled The Power of Theatrical Madness.

Shojaian felt important to participate in such an exhibition, first because of its location: “It’s in an institution dedicated to the Arab world and the topic LGBTQ+ has always been neglected there. It is important to show that this topic exists in the Arab world, and towards the West to also remind them where the laws and rules against homosexuality come from, that maybe they can help.”

Most of the official status in the Arab world on homosexuality was taken during the British and French mandates and occupations, for example in Lebanon as a colonial relic from the early 1900s. “It is also for me, as an Iranian, because I am able to give my voice to the thousands who can’t speak up in my country,” Alireza added.

Also quite political, Tunisian artist Aïcha Snoussi, born in 1989 and currently living in Paris, decided to tackle the tough topics of the people who drowned during the crossing of the Mediterranean sea through a big installation, as well as the troubles of the world through a self-portrait, pensive in her room. “The two works echo each other,” she told The New Arab.

“Multiplicity on one side, with more than 700 bottles filled with old paper, archives, inks and organic elements. The uniqueness on the other side, that of a canvas made of the same materials but recounting the chaos of the world from within.”

In the exhibition, Aïcha also noted the themes of exile, history, archives, memory, transmission and struggle, which are according to her “intimately linked to that of the body, its representations and these evanescences”.

“These sensitivities and trajectories give rise to new narratives, which are relatively under-represented in art but also in queer culture, and therefore necessary,” she added. “It is also a visibility that sends a message of power and resistance to those who recognize themselves in it.”

Other artists chose to address those themes of both love and exile through a more intimate approach, such as the Lebanese visual artistic duo Jeanne & Moreau, composed of Lara Tabet and Randa Mirza.

They set up a bedroom displaying pictures and videos they exchanged during their long-distance relationship time as well as when they started living together, first in Lebanon then in France, through crisis, exile and changes in their approach to art and each other.

“First we were apart, there was a desire of seduction, then the 2019 crisis in Lebanon with an economic collapse and then the explosion of the Beirut port,” Lara Tabet told The New Arab.

“At the same time as those repeated crises, our relationship changed too. We decided to exhibit a bedroom, where a lot of intimate things are renegotiated, which also represents a delicate balance between the idyllic privilege of living as a nomad and the harshness of forced exile, as well as domesticity.”

The installation combines intimacy inside and activism outside for their country, the crisis inviting itself into intimacy through the destruction of their Beirut apartment during the August 2020 explosion.

Sexuality, struggles, identity and perception of yourself go across the narratives IMA exhibited in an explosion of themes, freedom and colours in an expression space where audiences often associate pain and shame.

[moonspower]

Tell us another grandma story ❤️

hmmmmmmT........... well she always encouraged my artistic pursuits and maybe thats bcuz she made a lot of her living off of making quilts, pillows, etc etc i mean like $500 per quilt cuz her embroidery work is craaaazy!!!! anyway she was good w. my hobbies too....... every report card she let me get:

a fresh notebook so i could write in it, i have novels and concepts from like the age of 6-yrs-old

more markers and crayons

vhs from fye. it'd be like sailor moon, pokemon, tenchi muyo, yuyu hakusho, etc etc . . .

a cassette or cd of my choice!!!!!!

other than that, my moms gay / bi / trans friends always stayed at our house if they got into a tiff w. their folks. she always wants ppl to thrive and she never discriminated so w / e crash in the guest room or the living room if u wanna. like yea......... she talks shit about everyone........ but she talks shit about everyone like i just said ur not special glkfdjgldkf.

she was also a very vigilante civil rights activist part of the black panthers and a feminist that would snap a man in half. she was partially a separatist so she could protect her daughters and granddaughters.

also she beat the shit outta kkk members with no mercy in the 50s. im glad i was raised by her because i know not a lot of ppl have that privilege, even tho we were poor as shit; she also hated capitalism!

edit: not me talkin bout her like shes dead. shes still alive.... and still an asshole.

[roseclothes]

Wales Bonner FW23 Menswear

From Sarah Mower's review for Vogue

Her abiding mission to elevate “Black male style; a very refined approach to masculinity” took on the Parisian sojourns of the American writer and intellectual giant James Baldwin, the fabulously wealthy young Maharaja and Maharani of Indore, and fanned out to admire the showgirl, style-maker and activist Josephine Baker. By immersing herself in their worlds, she said she found herself transported, not so much by the idea of literal references of costume as by the uplifting effect of the cultural atmosphere. “Thinking about what Paris as a place gave them license to do and express. This idea of freedom of self-expression, to define yourself.” Paris, she speculated, “may create space to have more license to be expressive.”

The award-winning jazz trumpeter Herman Mehari stood in the middle of the apartment and played as a procession of sophisticated “Black flanuers” threaded its way through the rooms. First out was a strikingly precise black tailored coat with half its upturned collar in white. On its breast was pinned a brooch—one of several composites of baroque pearl and Ghanaian bead jewelry that studded the show with a sense of the ceremonial.

Checking back on Wales Bonner’s sources, that riveting entrance was clearly an echo of a famous 1929 high Deco-period portrait of the Maharaja in black tie evening dress, flashing a white-lined cape.

She also knows how to elevate the ordinary, or the generic, to give it her own stamp of cachet. Cowrie-shell decoration has been in her repertoire from the very first; now she deployed it as lines of embroidery on an oversized ecru peacoat, white on white.

Her casual wear has her intellectualism coded into it too. When you’re wearing a Wales Bonner collegiate jacket with the words Sorbonne 56 sewn onto it, you’re referring to the First Congress of Black Artists and Writers in Paris, to which James Baldwin was a delegate. When sporty, there are also genuine cultural connections. Wales Bonner’s designs for the new adidas soccer kit for the Jamaican team was showcased.

As for the womenswear, well, this season Wales Bonner was rather obviously talking as much about herself as she was the inspirational Josephine Baker and Maharani of Indore. When the marled-knit drop-waist flapper dress and zig-zag knitted fluted skirt and tank came out, more than a few of us in the audience were giving each other side-long glances. In the chorus of praise that broke as the crowd filed out, people were exclaiming, “Didn’t they look exactly like Grace herself!" There’s no criticism in that. Because staying true to who she is as a designer, and building steadily on her own identity even while stepping in to play at a higher level in Paris is surely the name of the Wales Bonner longevity game.

[hungryyheartarchive]

conrad's family.

paternal grandmother: mairead o'malley (née kermode), born 1909. the matriarch of the family. highly opinionated and compassionate. activist. birdwatcher. took up watercolour painting in her late 40s and never looked back. loved the bones of conrad. no matter what. when she passed on, there was no one left who wanted to remember him, so a little bit more of conrad died, too.

father: theodore o'malley, born 1938. primary care physician, movie buff, and skilled juggler. (this is where conrad inherited his clownish tendencies.) still alive.

mother: dorothy o'malley (née doyle), born 1940. journalism and communication professor who had tenure at boston university. enjoys theatre, embroidery and bowling. still alive.

brother: nolan o'malley, born 1960. mechanic who specializes in repairing vintage cars. connie was his henchman growing up, although it didn't come with very many benefits since he would still steal food from his plate at every meal. still alive.

brother: loren o'malley, born 1961. the most saintly of all the o'malley children and wicked smart. lawyer and cat lover. closeted gay man (his family already know and are patiently waiting for him to realize that.) all the o'malley kids are/have been in therapy, but loren's opened up the most out of all of them about what happened to their brother. still alive.

sister: saoirse o'malley, born 1964. was the closest to conrad growing up - they squabbled and fought frequently but he was the only one of her siblings she could ever tell secrets to. headstrong and outspoken and restless. journalist looking for a career change. still alive.

sister: aoife o'malley, born 1970. thought conrad was the funniest person ever. didn't find him so funny after the unmentionable happened. stereotypical lesbian gym teacher and avid weightlifter. owns a rescue dog named kenny. still alive.

brother and sister: wilbur o'malley, born 1973, and wilma o'malley, born 1974. they were the two who walked in on conrad the night it happened. to them, conrad is a legend and a myth, and he has a recurring guest role in their nightmares. wilbur has a good education but struggles to hold down jobs. he self-medicates. wilma hasn't said a single word since 1979, although her speech development was markedly slow before then. she's a sign language tutor and works with deaf children. she takes after her grandmother - she's a phenomenal painter. it comes with a catch, though. she can only seem to paint rabbits. still alive.

[lukiblog]

Trace 17 years old Denny Ja as a political consultant through his latest essay poetry

   In the world of Indonesian politics, the name Denny Ja has become a familiar figure. As an experienced political consultant, Denny JA has made a major contribution to the journey of democracy in our country. Lately, Denny JA has stolen attention again by launching his latest essay poem entitled “Traces of Denny JA as a Political Consultant: 17 Years of Democratic Democracy in Indonesia.”    In this essay poem, Denny JA shared his experiences and thoughts for 17 years as a political consultant. This essay poem is an interesting reading material for anyone who is interested in the political world and wants to understand how Denny Ja has played a role in the formation of political policies in Indonesia.    One of the interesting points in this essay poem is Denny Ja’s experience in building good relations with various parties who have political interests. Denny Ja explained how important it was to establish effective communication and build trust with political leaders, political parties, and civil society. Through the story of the experience as outlined in his essay poetry, Denny Ja provides valuable insights on how to create mutually beneficial relationships in the complex political world.    In addition, Denny Ja also discusses the role of information technology and social media in modern politics. In this essay poem, he explained how important it is to take advantage of the development of information technology as a tool to spread political messages, build support, and interact with voters. Denny Ja gave several examples of effective strategies that he had implemented in a successful political campaign.    Denny Ja’s latest essay poetry also gives a view of the challenges and political opportunities faced by Indonesia today. He discussed issues such as populism, political polarization, and challenges in building inclusive democracy. With a straightforward and easy to understand writing style, reading this essay poem will provide a deeper understanding of the complexity of Indonesian politics.    Not only contains the views and experiences of Denny Ja, this essay poem also includes interviews with several prominent political figures in Indonesia. In -depth discussions with leaders of political parties, academics, and civil society activists add added value to this essay poem. This interview gives a diverse point of view and enriching readers with thoughts from various backgrounds.    It is undeniable that Denny Ja’s journey as a political consultant has had a significant impact in the world of Indonesian politics. The latest essay poetry, “Deep Denny Ja as a Political Consultant: 17 Years of embroidery Democracy in Indonesia,” is a concrete proof of its dedication and contribution. This essay poem is a source of inspiration for political activists, students, and the general public who want to learn more about the dynamics of Indonesian politics.    By describing his experience, strategy, and vision, Denny Ja has made a valuable contribution in building democracy in Indonesia. This essay poem is also expected to encourage readers to be actively involved in the political process and play a role in strengthening a better political order in the future.    “Traces of Denny Ja as Political Consultants: 17 Years of embroidery Democracy in Indonesia” is an essay poem that should not be missed by anyone who wants to understand more about Indonesia’s political journey and the important role of political consultants in building strong and sustainable democracy.

Check more: Tracing the 17 -year trace of Denny Ja as a political consultant through his latest essay poetry