Buzzing ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post-9/11 Muslim Male Identity, Stereotypes, and Beehive Metaphors Abdullah Muhammad Iyhab Syed Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Fine Arts, UNSW 2009 1 Title: Buzzing: Post-9/11 Muslim Male Identity, Stereotypes and Beehive Metaphors Abstract: Echoing Edward Said’s Orientalism, and Homi Bhabha’s notion of the stereotype as mimicry (camouflage), this research project investigates the recent construction of a Muslim male identity as the Other and Self-Othering following the destruction by al- Qaeda of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, referred to colloquially as ‘post-9/11’. The fear of a bearded Muslim terrorist, of attacks from Muslim fundamentalist organizations, the distrust leading to extreme security measures and the subsequent laws contributing to the discrimination and radicalization of the Muslim community are analysed. This research identifies and explains the myths surrounding the Muslim cultural and religious practices relating to the traditional appearance of a Muslim male, specifically the beard and marks of prostration, along with associated imagery derived from the prayer rug, Muslim worship, Salat, and the mosque. Beehive metaphors in Western and Muslim art, history, literature and media are explored. The dualistic concepts surrounding the stereotypes and personifications that result in ‘otherness’ are the key aspects of this research. Using the binary nature of beehive metaphors, as well as both cultures’ propaganda about the West’s Crusade and Islam’s Jihad, the making of a post-9/11 Muslim identity as jihadi, martyr and terrorist are investigated, culminating in artworks comprising of self-portraiture, sculptures, prints, drawings and installation art. These express layers of interpretation of the clash of international political entities alongside the cultural contestations and religious belief systems within the Muslim culture, and reflections upon my own identity as a Muslim man divided between the East and the West. Due to its conceptual yet allegorical content, this research is descriptive, and is intended to lay the ground for future research aimed at examining the compounded variables of potential cultural clashes, religious conflicts, and political action. 2 Table of Contents 1. Abstract ------------------------------------------------------------------------ page 1 2. Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------- page 2 3. Table of Figures and Illustrations ------------------------------------------ page 4 4. Abbreviations and Glossary ------------------------------------------------- page 6 5. Prelude ------------------------------------------------------------------------- page 9 6. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------ page 10 7. Chapter One: Background ---------------------------------------------- page 16 1.1 The Model of Perfection: Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w) ------------ page 16 1.1a Physical Appearance of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w) ------------ page 17 1.2 Muslim Male Identity ------------------------------------------------------- page 18 1.2a Beard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- page 18 1.2b The Prayer Rug, Salat and the Mosque ------------------------------- page 22 1.2c Mark of Prostration ------------------------------------------------------ page 25 1.2d Piety of Heart: The Esoteric Emulation of the Prophet (s.a.a.w) -- page 27 8. Chapter Two: Beehive Metaphor ------------------------------------- page 30 2.1 Bees, Hive and Paraphernalia --------------------------------------------- page 30 2.2 Beehive Metaphor ------------------------------------------------------------ page 31 2.2a Beehive Metaphor and the Western World -------------------------- page 33 2.2b Beehive Metaphor and the Islamic World --------------------------- page 35 9. Chapter Three: Identity and Stereotypes ------------------------- page 40 3.1 Definition of Terms ---------------------------------------------------------- page 40 3.1a Islamophobia ------------------------------------------------------------ page 40 3.2b Stereotype ---------------------------------------------------------------- page 41 3.2 Orientalism and its Others ------------------------------------------------- page 42 3.3 Muslim Male Stereotype: From Orient to the Present --------------- page 45 3.4 Muslim Male Stereotype: Post-9/11 -------------------------------------- page 46 10. Chapter Four: Buzzing: War, Disguise, Economy, ------------ page 52 and the Making of a Terrorist 4.1 Swarm of Bees: War Planes, Kamakazi and Jihadi ------------------- page 52 3 4.2 Attack on Muslim Hive: Honey Pots, Oil and -------------------------- page 53 Death of Innocent Bees 4.3 Honey and the Hive of Killer Bees: The Making of a Terrorist ---- page 55 11. Chapter Five: Survey of the Field ------------------------------------ page 62 5.1 Anas Al-Shaikh --------------------------------------------------------------- page 63 5.2 Khalid Sabsabi ---------------------------------------------------------------- page 66 5.3 Sharif Waked ------------------------------------------------------------------ page 68 5.4 Rashid Rana ------------------------------------------------------------------- page 69 5.5 Taraneh Hemami ------------------------------------------------------------- page 71 5.6 Specific Works and Series -------------------------------------------------- page 73 5.6a Mona Hatoum’s Prayer Mat ------------------------------------------- page 74 5.6b Shirin Neshat’s Self Portraits ----------------------------------------- page 74 12. Chapter Six: My Studio Practice: The Research Outcomes page 76 6.1 Methodological Process ----------------------------------------------------- page 76 6.2 Discussion of Artworks (Research Outcomes) ------------------------- page 81 6.21 Self-Portrait Series ----------------------------------------------------- page 81 6.21a I Am...: Digital Photographic Prints -------------------------- page 81 6.21b Glazing: Digital Photographic Print -------------------------- page 86 6.22 Buzzing and Murmuring: Digital Photographic Prints ---------- page 87 6.23 Rug Projects ------------------------------------------------------------- page 89 6.24 Prints and Drawings --------------------------------------------------- page 95 6.24a Buzzwords (Portfolio of Seven Etchings) ------------------- page 95 6.24b Make-Over (Drawings and Silkscreen Works) ------------- page 98 6.25 Qalb (Heart) Projects --------------------------------------------------- page 100 6.3 Achievements and Breakthroughs ---------------------------------------- page 105 13. Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------- page 106 14. Appendix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- page 109 15. Declarations -------------------------------------------------------------------- page 110 16. Bibliography ------------------------------------------------------------------- page 113 4 Table of Figures and Illustrations Figure 1: Abdullah Syed, Histrionic Grooming I, 2007 ............................................................ 13 Figure 2: Abdullah Syed, Born to Be series, 2007 ..................................................................... 14 Figure 3: Right after 9/11, FBI released these portraits of nineteen highjackers........................ 21 Figure 4: A detainee with prayer rug, Guantanamo Bay ........................................................... 24 Figure 5: Comfort items for Guantanamo Bay prisoners include a prayer rug .......................... 24 Figure 6: Prisoners praying in a Communal prayer. Guantanamo Bay ..................................... 25 Figure 7: Prisoners praying in their cells. Guantanamo Bay ..................................................... 25 Figure 8: Mark of prostration on Ayman Al Zawahri’s forehead .............................................. 27 Figure 9: Mark of prostration on Zacrrias Moussaoui’s forehead ............................................. 27 Figure 10: The form and proportions of a honeybee – art diagram ............................................ 39 Figure 11: Time magazine cover, issue date April 16, 1979 ...................................................... 47 Figure 12: Time magazine cover, issue date November 25, 2002 ............................................. 47 Figure 13: Osama in 2004, Osama’s phoney beard speculation ................................................ 60 Figure 14: Osama Bin Laden in 2007 ......................................................................................... 60 Figure 15: Anas A-Shaikh, Confusion, 2003, detail .................................................................. 64 Figure 16: Anas Al-Shaikh, The New God, 2002, details .......................................................... 65 Figure 17: Anas Al-Shaikh, Memories of Memories, 2001, details ........................................... 65 Figure 18: Khaled Sabsabi, You, Multi Channel Video, 2007 .................................................... 67 Figure 19: Sharif Waked, Chic Point, Fashion for Israeli Checkpoint, 2003-2007 ................... 69 Figure 20: Rashid Rana, Meeting Point, 2006, video still ......................................................... 70 Figure 21: Rashid Rana, Twins, 2007 .......................................................................................