HIJRA
DEFRAMING POSTMIGRATION
Text by: Myassa Kraitt
PASSING
oil on canvas 200 x 100 cm
2023
HIJRA is a comprehensive work consisting of four parts, each addressing representation issues and challenging established canons, particularly concerning flight and forced migration. Within this body of work, Rawan Almukhtar endeavors to create new conceptual spaces that disrupt prevailing gaze regimes and encourage alternative perceptions regarding flight and forced migration.
The HIJRA collection serves as a powerful manifestation of resistance against border regimes. Almukhtar's refusal to accept confinement or to be obscured by lines effectively queers the very concept of the border itself. By refusing to adhere to the boundaries imposed by conventional systems, Almukhtar's art challenges the restrictive nature of borders and opens up avenues for new understandings of migration and belonging.
In essence, Almukhtar's work in HIJRA aims to challenge entrenched perceptions and offer a nuanced exploration of identity, migration, and power dynamics in contemporary society.
LEAVING
oil on canvas 200 x 120 cm
2024
LAYERS
oil on canvas 200 x 100 cm
2018
PINKNESS
charcoal on paper 43 x 41.8 cm
2018
HIJRA I: DEFRAMING POSTMIGRATION
In HIJRA – Deframing Postmigration, Rawan Almukhtar delves into narratives of passing, exploring their intricate connections to race, gender, and landscape. His aim is to challenge and deconstruct conventional discourses surrounding migration, particularly by questioning stereotypes of migrants and the typical representations of refugees.
The term postmigration or postmigrant takes a deconstructive approach to the distinction of identity between who is perceived as a migrant and who is not. Almukhtar interrogates notions of who passes and who does not, as well as those who may never have the opportunity to pass. Through negotiation and deconstruction of what is traditionally framed as migrant, the artist draws parallels to postcolonial theory, questioning the linearity of complex processes and contexts.
TRANSFOMRATIONS
oil on canvas 150 x 100 cm
2018
HIJRA II: DEFRAMING BODIES
In HIJRA – Deframing Bodies, Almukhtar delves into their own experience of forced migration and memories of traveling the Balkan route. In a world where borders are harsh and dividing, Almukhtar creates art that breaks free from these constraints. Their artwork flows smoothly, capturing fleeting moments of resistance. Almukhtar tells these stories through the eyes of an observer.
The bodies in the art defy the strict borders, symbolically disrupting the established order. Crossing borders becomes an act of defiance—a challenge to societal norms. It's a way for bodies to expand beyond limits, reshaping the places they belong to.
ALL OF THEY
charcoal on paper 42 x 42 cm
2018
LEAVING IN RETURN
charcoal on paper 58 x 42 cm
2018
HIJRA III: QUEERING BORDERS
As people migrate, they naturally alter both the environments they depart from and the landscapes they settle into. Simultaneously, they undergo personal transformations. In HIJRA – Queering Borders, Almukhtar delves into the borderlands of migration, revealing the emotional and political complexities of arrival while also recognizing the lingering sense of absence experienced by those left behind.
By framing crossing borders as an inherently queer act, he challenges conventional notions of boundaries and invites viewers to witness migrating bodies that defy the constraints imposed by lines on maps. In doing so, Almukhtar emphasizes the agency of the migrating body, highlighting its capacity to transcend physical and metaphorical borders and assert its presence in new spaces.
TRUE COLORS
charcoal on paper 58 x 42 cm
2018
PRONOUNS
charcoal on paper 58 x 28 cm
2018
PASSING EXILE
charcoal on paper 58 x 42 cm
2018
NO TITLE
charcoal on paper 58 x 42 cm
2018
HIJRA IV: PASSING EXILE
Understanding that crossing and passing borders does not entail disappearing behind lines, Almukhtar's intention is to engage in an act of resistance by intentionally forging new transitions and lines of rebellion.
In HIJRA – Passing Exile, his work serves as a poignant commentary on the transformative impact of migration and the enduring resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppressive systems. By reconceptualizing borders as arenas of resistance and opportunity, Almukhtar presents a compelling vision of liberation and empowerment for individuals navigating the intricate challenges of migration.
MODERN LAW
mixed media on paper 100 x 45 cm
2018
PASS WITH ME
mixed media on paper 58 x 37 cm
2018
HYBRID
mixed media on paper 58 x 34 cm
2018
