4 Untitled by Khaula Mazhar, North Etobicoke Mural Project, StreetArToronto, 680 Rexdale Boulevard, Etobicoke, Toronto, ON
Excerpt from webapp.driftscape.com/map/cf71ae2e-7510-11ec-8000-bc1c5a8...:
Untitled by Khaula Mazhar: Since the neighbourhood has a large population of immigrants, South Asians in particular, I used an image of a young South Asian woman in her traditional attire appreciating nature. Adjusting to her new world, like so many immigrant women she is naturally resilient and looks for something familiar to give her hope and strength. Nature is something that we love and appreciate in any part of the world, and it makes an appearance in so many classic western and eastern paintings, our love of nature is something that connects us all, it can bring us together and strengthen community. The style is a contemporary twist on Mughal art inspired by the work of Hajra Mansoor, who is the pride of the South Asian community.
I am working on an ongoing series that appreciates South Asian women. Growing up in Canada at a time when diversity was not as appreciated it was very hard to be a visibly brown girl. My culture was misrepresented and misunderstood and rather than feeling any sense of pride for my rich history and culture I felt awkward and basically like I would just like to disappear into the surroundings and not stand out. Over time I started to feel the need to make a space for myself, my ethnicity and be able to share my stories myself rather than have a non-brown person tell their version of it. I realized how important it was for young girls to see positive images that they could relate to and realize that their beauty was unique and that standards set by non-coloured people were not something they had to follow or be intimidated by. They should celebrate and share their own history, and culture and take pride in their ethnicity.
4 Untitled by Khaula Mazhar, North Etobicoke Mural Project, StreetArToronto, 680 Rexdale Boulevard, Etobicoke, Toronto, ON
Excerpt from webapp.driftscape.com/map/cf71ae2e-7510-11ec-8000-bc1c5a8...:
Untitled by Khaula Mazhar: Since the neighbourhood has a large population of immigrants, South Asians in particular, I used an image of a young South Asian woman in her traditional attire appreciating nature. Adjusting to her new world, like so many immigrant women she is naturally resilient and looks for something familiar to give her hope and strength. Nature is something that we love and appreciate in any part of the world, and it makes an appearance in so many classic western and eastern paintings, our love of nature is something that connects us all, it can bring us together and strengthen community. The style is a contemporary twist on Mughal art inspired by the work of Hajra Mansoor, who is the pride of the South Asian community.
I am working on an ongoing series that appreciates South Asian women. Growing up in Canada at a time when diversity was not as appreciated it was very hard to be a visibly brown girl. My culture was misrepresented and misunderstood and rather than feeling any sense of pride for my rich history and culture I felt awkward and basically like I would just like to disappear into the surroundings and not stand out. Over time I started to feel the need to make a space for myself, my ethnicity and be able to share my stories myself rather than have a non-brown person tell their version of it. I realized how important it was for young girls to see positive images that they could relate to and realize that their beauty was unique and that standards set by non-coloured people were not something they had to follow or be intimidated by. They should celebrate and share their own history, and culture and take pride in their ethnicity.