DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/AJ2E-GX28
Defense Date
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts
Department
Dean's Office Qatar
First Advisor
Giovanni Innella
Second Advisor
Leland Hill
Third Advisor
Mike Wirtz
Abstract
The name of my project is: Yolkkh, The Story of My People. With this project I present a series of scarves each one bearing an illustrated scene in order to tell a story – my story and the story of the Noxci people. Noxci are the people who are referred to as “Chechens” by Russians and are generally known by that title. As a Muslim, I have witnessed the way Western media tend to dehumanize my community. In order to contrast this dehumanizing process, I thought that telling the story of my family would help reverse Islamophobic tendencies and raise empathy. The story of my family highlights the efforts and the value in preserving our native Noxci identity even through the most painful and enduring events, including war, migration, violence and death. The visual storytelling starts with the childhood of my mother. At the climax of the narration, the focus shifts from my mother to myself, visualizing scenes of my childhood all the way to my vision for my future. Through this project I aim to give a voice to the Noxci community, so to spread awareness. Furthermore, I hope that this project can inspire other minorities worldwide who are oppressed and are victims of colonization and racism to stand up and share their stories. I strongly believe in storytelling as a way to inform and connect with the audience in an empathetic and human way. This project marks the beginning of my journey as a designer activist committed to give voice to minorities worldwide, whether Muslim or of other faith. My ambition expands beyond religion, trying to reach all aspects of us being humans. I start by telling my story, hoping that others will follow.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-12-2021
Included in
Art Education Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons, Graphic Design Commons, Illustration Commons, Industrial and Product Design Commons, Interdisciplinary Arts and Media Commons, Islamic Studies Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Language Interpretation and Translation Commons, Other History Commons, Other Linguistics Commons, Political History Commons