Woman to woman: Artist Hend Al-Mansour celebrates women and Islamic art

Minnesota artist Hend Al-Mansour wants you to think about Khadija and Hafsa, each of whom is the wife of the Prophet Muhammad.

“In this work, I celebrate two ancient Muslim women who truly influenced Islam in its early life and history,” says Al-Mansour. “I just want to give them the credit they deserve.”

They are at the center of Al-Mansour’s new exhibition, “Contain Me,” which opens with a reception at 6 p.m. Nov. 23 at the SOO Visual Arts Center in Minneapolis. The exhibition includes kaleidoscopic works, both video animations and painted large-scale illustrations, including images of Khadija and Hafsa.

Khadija, Al-Mansur explains, witnessed the birth of Islam and supported and inspired the Prophet, while Hafsa was the custodian and protector of the first complete copy of the Qur’an.

“They were called the mothers of the believers, and from them we have many examples and role models to guide all Muslims.”

Al-Mansour calls the video animation “quirky.” She depicts herself with two women.

“With them, I wanted to kind of connect myself with these women, and also connect myself with Islamic art as a woman,” Al-Mansour says. Al-Mansour is a Muslim originally from Saudi Arabia. In the late 90s she moved to the USA.

“When I was growing up, I looked at Islamic art and felt that it was men who created it. It never occurred to me that more women would do this, and it makes sense,” she says.

Through video and hand-drawn illustrations, Al-Mansour creates his own interpretation of non-figurative plant patterns in traditional Islamic art. She combines bright blues and yellows, purples and reds and weaves feminine silhouettes into abstract patterns.

“For me, this is a way to reclaim my position in Islamic art and therefore my equality as a woman and my value of being a full human being,” says Al-Mansour.

Along with Friend Al Mansour’s exhibition, another exhibition will open at the Soo Visual Arts Center: Fawzia Khan’s “Transformation.” Both shows will be available to stream until January 5th.