This image, taken by art student Sooraya Graham at Thompson Rivers University has stirred up a fair amount of controversy and discussion in the past month. The art piece was pulled down from a wall on campus, and while it was later replaced, members of the Saudi Education Center in Kamloops have sopken out in the media, demanding the artist explain the image and motivations. The conversation about freedom of expression and religion is interesting. Here is what the artist (who is Muslim but not Saudi) has to say:
“You often see the stereotype of the veiled woman being oppressed. We all wear the same undergarments, do laundry, go shopping. I was leaving it open-ended for others to interpret the photo in their own way.” She selected the photo for the exhibit because it “it humanizes the veiled woman.”
What do you think? Offensive? Provocative?