Ways To Be Muslim: An Exhibition of Contemporary Australian Muslim Life Exhibition partners: Muslim Collective and Islamic Museum of Australia
With the growing public debate on the status of Muslims in the ‘West’, Peter Drew’s street art campaign 1.6 Billion Ways To Be Muslim playfully challenged that conversation with his unique hand printed posters. Ways To Be Muslim reinvents this campaign through the photography and videography of six young Australian Muslims as they set out to discover just how many ways there are.
The diverse and complex reality of personal identity within Australian Muslim communities is often reduced to a negative and homogenous stereotype, however, there is a growing sense of positive affirmation and voice among young people who are confidently and comfortably embracing their unique identities as Australian Muslims. These vignettes have been created by a group of young people as something wonderful and inspiring for each other through the process of autonomously facilitating stories and celebrating their voice.
The Ways To Be Muslim exhibition has been curated by Melbourne based curator Nur Shkembi and is based on a community photography project that was designed for young Australian Muslims to discover the diversity of their own communities. Youth participant, Yasmina Zuhbi, a Sydney based blogger, health-science student and self-confessed shoe collector, describes her experience as "a wonderfully colourful experience celebrating the diversity of Muslims while being able to embrace the awesome parallels we share with the greater Australian community." She also added "It has provided me with a great sense of belonging and emphasised the values that makes all human; the values of love, peace, compassion and justice."
The exhibition will be officially launched at the Islamic Museum of Australia on Wednesday 21st March and is timed to coincide with the United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
About the Islamic Museum of Australia
The Islamic Museum of Australia (IMA) is a not-for-profit foundation founded in May 2010 with the purpose of establishing the first Islamic Museum in Australia. It aims to showcase the rich artistic heritage and historical contributions of Muslims in Australia and abroad through the display of various artworks, historical artefacts and educational programs. ---
ISLAMIC MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA 15A Anderson Rd Thornbury 3071, Victoria Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm
