NASSEM NAVAB

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Zanan are 3D printed figurines of young hijabi women in strong poses, wearing their hijab with pride while keeping their unique identity.  The figurines resemble the iconic toy soldier. With the usage of this pop cultural symbol I create a dialogue that displays the hijabi women as an undifferentiated mass. I do this to play off of the news media trope which paints immigrants, such as Syrians coming to America, as an undifferentiated mass of others. A closer look at the figurines reveals they are subverting their hijabs with patches, pyramid studs, and by revealing their clothing underneath their veil. This piece is in response to a dialogue which positions Muslims as backward, and the hijab as antithetical to women’s rights. I seek to complicate the notion that Muslim women are necessarily an oppressed group who display no individuality. Through the adaptation of the toy soldier I seek to subvert an object that stands for American colonialism, chauvinism , and patriarchy.