THE STEREOTYPE IMAGE OF THE MUSLIM WOMAN IN THE WESTERN WORLD: CALL FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Document Type : Specialized scientific research papers

Author

Painting department, Faculty of Fine Arts - Helwan University, Cairo

10.47436/jaars.2021.76046.1021

Abstract

In conservative societies, including Oriental countries, one can say that women are one of the main concerns of the conservatives; the woman in Oriental societies, especially with religious tendencies, represents a kind of 'sacred privacy'. With such peculiarity, the image of Oriental but Muslim women in particular in the eyes of Western artists has been a controversial topic through modern and contemporary art history, colonialism, as well as contemporary media where visual language is used, especially when the Muslim woman representation seems to be embarrassing, offensive or stereotyped. 
As an Oriental insider woman, the researcher aims to discuss this controversial issue; within a self-reflection essay, she will discuss and attempt to answer the raised questions through an artistic, social, analytical and critical approach. The aim is to present different perspectives, bring them closer together, and clarify the ambiguities in understanding the other, in order to reach a different middle perspective and to contribute to creating better chances for coexistence between East and West in a world that is supposed to be one.

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