Making Concrete Speak
Postcolonial Graffiti, European Secularism and Art Stars as Improvised Delegates
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7823319 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Imran Khan (0000-0002-2069-7410, Amnesty International, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2019 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 928-941 |
| Publication date | 2019-10-03 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Interventions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1369-801X • E-ISSN: 1469-929X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/1369801x.2019.1585907 |
| OpenAlex | W2923883771 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 8 |
This essay investigates how two graffiti artists, whose works challenge political power structures and incorporate symbols associated with Islam, have negotiated with, and been impacted by, their political terrains. It explores how both have, in the contexts of post 7/7 government policies in England and debates in France concerning laïcité, been taken up as Muslim delegates. The essay counterpoises Mohammed Ali, who produces “urban-spiritual art”, with Princess Hijab, a guerrilla artist whose “niqabisation” involves veiling French billboard models. It addresses absences of urban, grassroots insurgency within postcolonial research and, simultaneously, a lack of comparative studies concerning the relationships between urban communities, postcoloniality and secularism in Britain and France. It examines how Ali, whose works reaffirm urban streets as community spaces, and Princess Hijab, whose focus concerns capitalism and censorship, for contrasting reasons and with different levels of complicity, have had their works politically reframed. The essay explores the relationship between Ali resignifying urban space and Ali being taken up as a diversity spokesperson. Meanwhile, it examines the function of anonymity as Princess Hijab battles against political and religious reworkings of an oeuvre the artist claims as being devoid of such affiliations. The essay highlights that, whilst both physically challenge the exclusivity of British and French public spheres, in some respects, media treatments of their interventions essentialise and “other” politically marginalized groups. It demonstrates the complexity of fields which are prone to alter according to prevailing political situations. This places the onus on artists like Ali and Princess Hijab skilfully to negotiate with and, at times, undermine social, political and cultural contexts to regain control of the political thrust of their artworks. The essay invites further dialogue regarding how far grassroots activism can go in symbolically reclaiming space from political power structures and making meaningful strides in the battleground of voice
Aesthetics · Art · Censorship · Graffiti · Media studies · Political science · Politics · Public space · Public sphere · Queer · Secularism · Sociology · Visual arts · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Gender Studies · Law · Public Spaces through Art · Water Governance and Infrastructure
| Highly cited | No |
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