A Decision to Make
This digitally created image combined watercolor and photography images to create a surreal impression of an unnamed girl and her headscarf. The girl’s limbs merge into the background, leaving only her face, hands, and headscarf plainly visible. Only these things—representing her ability to act, her ability to decide, and the decision she must make—are important. She stands in a verdant garden with smoothly flowing water, intended to evoke the imagery of the heavenly garden of paradise and sincere faith.
This piece was inspired by The Sultana’s Dream and its imagery of a paradise garden city where women went unveiled. However, my image also considers the idea of women donning the headscarf out of sincere piety and belief rather than fear of men. Caught in the tension between these two ideas of sincere faith and patriarchal oppression, my creation leaves the audience unsure of whether the girl is removing or donning the headscarf. She could be removing the scarf, freeing herself in this garden paradise from the former oppression that stifled her. Her embrace of the truest faith includes liberation to feminist ideals of the love and equality God originally intended. Alternatively, she could be donning the scarf in humble reverence. Here in the garden, she earnestly seeks God and submits herself to the constant remembrance evoked by the scarf. There is no one answer to what it means to wear the headscarf or hijab. The questions of faith, freedom, and gender equality are implied but not answered. Ultimately, the audience must decide for itself what it means to act on sincere faith.
Original images courtesy of Google Photos