Br00ke

Artist, in all connotations of the title, who takes very seriously her jihad to resist being entirely, overwhelmingly distracted by all the glittery things, as well as the texts, textures, floras, aromas, critters, and all of Allah’s creations both magnificent and seemingly insignificant. btw: Avatar is Art by Hassan Hajjaj

[diasporicroots]

AN EXAMPLE OF AFRICAN MEDICAL SCIENCE. ILLUSTRATION OF AFRICAN DOCTORS IN 19TH CENTURY (1879) KAHARA,UGANDA PERFORMING A CAESARIAN SECTION. SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF THIS OPERATION WERE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN IN EUROPE AT THE TIME.

Africans were performing many advanced medical procedures long before they had been conceived in Europe this is just one of many examples.

The British traveler R.W. Felkin who reported this noted that the healer used banana wine to semi-intoxicate the woman and to cleanse his hands and her abdomen prior to surgery. He used a midline incision and applied cautery to minimize hemorrhaging. He massaged the uterus to make it contract but did not suture it; the abdominal wound was pinned with iron needles and dressed with a paste prepared from roots. The patient recovered well, and Felkin concluded that this technique was well-developed and had clearly been employed for a long time. Similar reports come from Rwanda, where botanical preparations were also used to anesthetize the patient and promote wound healing.

Reference: “Notes on Labour in Central Africa” published in the Edinburgh Medical Journal, volume 20, April 1884, pages 922-930.

Click here for more.

[brookoli-blog]

Muslim Microaggressions

We've all heard that “There’s no racism in Islam” but surely some of you have had some racist things said to you by fellow Muslims. Sisters Magazine wants to know: What racist, sexist, classist or other schism-based statements have your brothers and sisters said to you?

Please let us know if we can use your name or if you prefer "Anonymous" if we publish your quote.

[theredtree]

what i want to write about is how we don’t have the right to create these little secure worlds. so that we feel protected from all the evil and violence in out there in the universe. we don’t have the right to hide behind the master’s violence, just glad that we aren’t the target (this time).

— —mama, from guerrilla mama medicine (via theredtree)

[guerrillamamamedicine]

i wish i could just spend my time writing about black american southern midwifery tradition.

and what does it mean that anarcha was a south carolinian slave who was tortured so that the practice of gynecology could be born. 

and how much does the villification of midwifery as dirty, uneducated, risky have to do with (black) granny midwife movement in the south.

and how if we can see that black women’s reaction to racism/sexism (higher cortisol levels) leads to the horrifically high maternal and infant mortality rates in black women, what does it mean that at the point that they are giving birth the majority of people in the room are probably white. 

and how so many natural birthy people want to attribute the abysmal maternal and infant mortality rates in the us (the highest of any industrialized nation) to too many interventions and c sections etc.  but overlook that actually what makes that rate so high is woc’s birth experiences, its their mortality rates that make the overall us rates so horrible. 

[0111345keed]

Thursday at the Brooklyn Museum.

© Kameelah Janan Rasheed

[surrealism]

Boudoir by Jacek Yerka. Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 54.5 cm. Giclee available for sale.

[caitsmeissner-blog]

This is Ben Rojas drawing with HIS baby. But he also teaches other people’s babies… Please consider supporting this art project of his in a New Design High School Classroom on DonorsChoose.org! From Ben: One of my student’s favorite projects is one where they sew and design a Mexican wrestler, or Luchador based on a personal characteristic. But this project is in danger of not being brought to life because of lack of sewing supplies! My wonderful students are first year design students who base all of their projects on their identities. They attend a small, very open minded high school where all types of people are accepted for who they are. Even with the budget cuts our students have kept their chins up and still have produced fine art projects with the little supplies they have. With better materials I only see them impressing us even further.

Why I gave: “I gave because I’ve had the honor of watching Ben in action with students, and deeply believe in his ability to teach, authentically connect with young people, and greatly inspire. I love this project and I’m thrilled to be a part of what makes it come to life this year. I miss New Design, it’s bright environment and the super creative students!” -Caits Meissner

[37thstate]

Various Urban African Cities

Cotonou, Benin

Abuja, Nigeria

Algiers, Algeria

Ouagadougou, Bourkina Faso

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Dakar, Senegal

Kampala,Uganda

Mombasa, Kenya

Lome, Togo

Luanda, Angola

Rabat, Morocco

Monrovia, Liberia

Luanda, Angola

Lome, Togo

Kinshasa, Congo

Maputu, Mozambique

Marrakesh, Morocco

Alexandria, Egypt

Kinshasa, Congo

Nairobi, Kenya

Gabrone, Botswana

Harare, Zimbabwe

Bamako, Mali

Dakar, Senegal

Fes, Morocco

Marrakesh, Morocco

  Johannesburg, South Africa

Cairo, Egypt

Durban, South Africa

[counterftnoire]

And so it continues.

[blackraincloud-deactivated20170]

If you were an ACTUAL white ally you would run this fucking honkey cunt over and claim “road rage.”

[brookoli-blog]

Mohammad (SWAS) by Abiqutie Design

[brookoli-blog]

Hi my precious. Ooh, dat sounds so creepy... But you know who dis is. <3

It better be you!

[chimoltrufia-deactivated2012091]

Graffiti.

It’s a damned shame I don’t know more Black graffiti artists, but that speaks volumes about who gets their graffiti deemed “art” and who’s just “vandalising”. Banksy gets to sell his art to Angelina Jolie and the whole of Los Angeles, and they call it a revolution anti-anti-anti-everything, while the most widely known Black artist, Michael Stewart, gets killed by the hands of the cops who arrested him when they caught him “scrawling graffiti”. 

[frijoliz-deactivated20150410]

I was waiting for someone to agree with what I have been posting—The issue of Banksy’s whiteness elevating him into a position of “untouchable-ness,”  despite the fact, that in graffiti your work is suppose to remain in anonymity. However we already know, with underground exposure, many of the graffiti artists that have reached fame are revealed to be white guys. One of the biggest examples(and IMO trash) is Mark Ecko who created an enormous empire exploiting the movement. 

I think much of the blame of the glorification of these white artists should be placed on hipsters, enthusiasts of the commercialized, and a good portion of leftists (the numbero uno fanatics of Banksy). One big reason is that I see all these people making a point to make a distinction between Street Art and Vandalism. They name good art (aka permission walls, stencils, art done by other white hipsters) graffiti, and bad art (aka street throw ups, tags, sticker bombing, or pieces you see in the hood, Chicano Graff murals) as vandalism. What’s problematic about this distinction is that it’s an obvious  attempt at controlling and whitewashing the movement

Vandalism>Street Art

don’t let these self proclaimed authority figures/art gallery fucks who don’t know shit about the culture tell you otherwise. I need to emphasize this point so that people around the graffiti game understand that being called a vandal isn’t a bad thing. Most graff artists that do it for the love of it will refer to themselves as Vandals over calling themselves Street Artists. Because they want to dissociate themselves from a term that was created by the white artistic elite. That being said it still isn’t okay that it is these elite  get to dictate what is acceptable and unacceptable graffiti. 

But I understand that’s not the point of your post. I just really needed to let people take the word Vandal back from these white art elitist co-opters. 

But to reiterate your point, most definitely the fact there aren’t many POC writers that are on the same level of Banksy sucks especially when I know sooooo many writers that are passionately dedicated to the game, and are more promising than a dude who sold out and is known for stencils. Because seriously STENCILS? Banksy does stencils!

I’ll post a short list of infamous POC artists to start off with once you research some of these guys, it’s easier to acquaint with others:

Cornbread

Cool Earl

Julio204

StayHigh149

Lady Pink

Cope

Revok? (not exactly sure on this one my friend says he is)

Dondi

Chaz

Tempt One

Os Gemeos- 2 brazilian twins

Totem

Ali

Jee2

Cre8

Rammelzee

Lee Quinones

Samo

Cartoon

Chor Boogie

KRS 1

This is a short list off the top of my head. There are really lots, lots, lots more. It should be noted that graff started out with the majority of it’s writers being POC from Philly then New York. There were very few white guys doing it at the time. Taki 183 being one of them. Taki 183 fits well  into this whole discussion especially since he  is revered in many graff circles to be the original writer, the first to ever do it and get up. However, his whiteness may have a lot to do why he’s given such credit/notoriety especially considering that in many circles, there’s been discussion that it was in fact Cornbread  who was the first to get up. Which chronologically, Cornbread indeed did come before Taki! smh.

In conclusion, fuck Banksy. 

[0111345keed]

That’s me! Read more here. I cannot wait to be upstate this summer. Trees, clean air, and beautiful prime lens…here I come. 

[brookoli-blog]

!!!EXCITING!!!

[machine-factory]

one of the many astounding collages by Meg Hitchock made by cutting letters from various books, including the Koran and Rushdie’s “Satanic Verses”. Highly recommend checking the rest of the collection on her site, where you can also see the detailed versions of each piece.

In my text drawings I deconstruct the word of God by cutting letters from sacred writings and rearranging them to form a passage from another holy book. I may cut letters from the Bible and reassemble them as a passage from the Koran, or use letters cut from the Torah to recreate an ancient Tantric text. The individual letters are glued to the paper in a continuous line of type, without spaces or punctuation, in order to discourage a literal reading of the text. 

[brookoli-blog]

When the ten year old says, "Ooh, that's nice art." Then it must be.

[thoumbreath-deactivated20240809]

Muslim Male Privilege Checklist

Came across this today. Needless to say, it’s on point.

As a Muslim man: 1. I can set foot in any masjid I like. No one will stop me at the door and tell me that I am not allowed in the masjid.  2. When I attend Jumah prayer I know that I will have full access to the main prayer hall. I can enter through the front door and I am not required to sit behind a partition, one-way mirror or placed in a separate room. Also, I can see and hear the Imam when he is giving the kutbah (sermon). I do not have to worry about a speaker or closed-circuit system malfunctioning thereby preventing me from hearing the kutbah or seeing the Imam. 3. My voice is not interpreted as being a part of my awrah (parts of the body that are not meant to be exposed in public.) I can stand up and speak freely in an Islamic gathering. I can ask questions or challenge statements made by the imam or visiting speaker without worrying that my actions will be viewed as inappropriate. I am not told that I must write any questions I have onto a piece of paper.  4. I can use my position as a sheikh, scholar or imam to perpetuate my own sexist, misogynistic beliefs as long as I incorporate those beliefs into my interpretation of the Quran and the Sunnah. When others challenge me about my beliefs I can use my Islamic education, command of the Arabic language and position in the community to effectively silence them. If the dissenters are women, I can always make them seem crazy, emotional or neurotic. I can also accuse them of being influenced by the West, Western secularism, Feminism or “the Kufaar.” 5. If I do not dress in accordance with Islamic guidelines, for the most part, I am left alone by Muslims of both genders. Few people will approach me and inquire about the way in which I am dressed. I will not be written off as a “bad Muslim” nor will my dress code be used as an excuse to prevent me from attending the masjid or other Islamic functions.  6. Interpretations of Quran and Ahadith, fatwas, kutbahs, and Islamic books are often biased in favor of my gender. The body of scholarship produced by members of my gender is available and accessible to all. Their texts, legal opinions and names have not been ignored or virtually erased from Islamic history. 7. When I read a book about marriage, my rights and responsibilities or gender dynamics in Islam, the author is almost always the same gender as me. It is the same when I wish to contact a scholar in regards to any questions I might have. 8. If I have problems in my marriage I can go to an Imam for counseling services and I don’t have to be concerned about sexism or his “traditional” views of women. 9. If I become visibly upset during a marriage counseling session, I am not told that I am too emotional and therefore incapable of thinking logically or making major decisions about my marriage. On the contrary, any decisions I make are presumed to be well thought-out.  10. If I wish to end my marriage, my decision is not scrutinized by an imam or other members of the Muslim community. It is respected as the final one. I am not denied a divorce or told to make tremendous personal sacrifices in order to remain in the marriage. 11. When I convert to Islam, if I have the means (or the financial support of others), I can travel aboard to predominately Muslim countries in order to seek Islamic knowledge. I can be sure that my gender will not be a hindrance any way. At the same time, no one will ever tell me that I must wait until I am married in order to begin my travels. 12. I can stand up for the rights Allah has given me or challenge interpretations of those rights without people associating me with secularist Muslim movements. 13. If I cannot have children or suffer from a condition that interferes with my ability to have sexual intercourse I do not have to worry about my wife taking a second husband. Even if/when she decides to divorce me I can be sure that an imam or other community members will ask her to reconsider her decision. 14. If I am struggling with the temptation to fornicate, I know that I can discuss my predicament with an Imam or other Muslim men without fear that they will think I’m lewd or promiscuous. 15. I am not a visible representative of Islam. When I interact with non-Muslim colleagues, co-workers and members of the general public they may not necessarily know that I am a Muslim. Unless I make my religion/ethnicity known, I am not subjected to a barrage of questions about Islam, Muslims and my gender’s status in the religion. (The exception here would be Muslim men who don a thobe, turban, and wear a lengthy beard. Also, brothers who clearly appear to be Indian/Pakistani or Arab in the eyes of the public). 16. When a visiting scholar/imam comes to the masjid, by virtue of the seating arrangements (men in the front, no partition between the speaker and the men), I am able to speak with him face-to-face. I do not have to worry about crossing into “the women’s space” in order to ask a question or to make a comment.

Wanted to bold them all tbh.

[azaadi]

Read this.

[alscientist]

sadly, this is very true.

[intersectionswomanartistmus-blog]

Call for Submissions (PLEASE SHARE) - Intersections: Woman, Artist, Muslim

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORK - Seeking writings and art from Muslim Women Artists on the subject of those intersecting identities for inclusion in an anthology, to be edited by Brooke Benoit and Aaminah Shakur. 

Intersections: Woman, Artist, Muslim

Ruminations on Being, Creating, and Believing

Bismillah al Rahman al Raheem

This is a call for submissions for a new project, the anthology Artist Intersections: Woman, Artist, Muslim. As you well know art and all its various forms, such as poetry, performance, film, illustration, fashion, are often misunderstood and even demonized in the greater Muslim community. The intent of this project is to reflect on the experiences of creative/creating Muslimahs to (insha Allah) dispel some of these myths as well as to inspire others to maximize their God-given talents and the blessings available through doing so.

As this project hopes to reveal (notice we didn’t say “unveil”!) a wide scope of the artists and artistic happenings, both visual and literary, across the ummah, we are open to accepting a diverse array of writing styles, including and by no means limited to essays, dialogues, creative non-fiction writing and poetry that is directly relevant to the subject matter. We would also like to include some inspiring, entertaining and/or insightful interviews of artsy sisters. You are welcome to put together an interview for submittal, contact us for suggestions of sisters of interest, or run by us ideas of potential interviewees.

Works which include excerpts from Quran, hadith, and other Muslim Maxims are of course welcomed in this project, however if your style or preference does not include such, your work is also welcome as we strive for inclusion of a diverse representation of believers, respecting the individuality in each Muslim point of view. This is not an anthology of “Islamic Art,” rather it is an anthology of Muslim Women Artists. In the spirit of inclusivity we ask that writers consider their readers and therefore cannot accept any work which includes vulgarity or explicit depictions of sex. Submissions from Sisters of Color are especially appreciated.

We would love to hear about issues related to being a Muslim woman artist, such as:

Internal and external struggles with accepting yourself as a artist

Rectifying your culture, art and religion

Epiphany-like moments related to being an artist

Art and dawah

Art as ibadah

Art as rizk: Being a working (as in selling) artist

Accepting yourself as being a creative being or non-working (as in selling) artist

Creativity and your community

Reflections on historical Muslim arts and artists which inspire you

Anything else related to your being an artist, a woman and a Muslim

Submission Guideline Details:

Email all submissions both as .doc and pasted in the content of your email to [email protected]

Maximum 5,000 words

Include a 2-3 sentence biography

If you have one, include website or blog url

Submissions due March 1st, 2012 PLEASE NOTE THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 31, 2012

Information about compensation, copy rights and similar will not be available until a publisher has been secured, minimally each accepted entry will receive a copy of the anthology.

Please help spread the word! Share the submission guidelines for Intersections:  Woman, Artist, Muslim on your blog, website, social networks and with all of your creative sisters.

Editors:

Brooke Benoit is an almost graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and has a B.A. in Rhetoric from the University of Alaska at Anchorage. She lives in Casablanca, Morocco where her current preferred mediums are gemstones and words.

Aaminah Shakur is a self-taught experimental poet and artist whose work is most informed by her First Nations/Indigenous and traditional Sufi Muslim cultures. She has produced four zines and is currently tangled up in yarn.

To keep up with the project, please see us:

Main Project Blog

Tumblr (a resource of creative work and inspiration)

Facebook

[brookoli-blog]

Tomorrow is the day! Drop us a submission or line to [email protected]  

[toomuchgray]

تذكر! لكَ / عَليكَ

And keep practicing.