Discover Shattering Stereotypies of Middle Eastern Women Is One Goal for This LACMA Exhibit

The first image one encounters in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s current exhibition, Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond, is not what one might expect. It is not a woman whose hair is hidden by a veil and whose body is obscured by modest robes. Rather, visitors see a LACMA-commissioned photograph of actor Iman Vellani, who portrays Kamala Khan, the superhero star of the Disney+ miniseries Ms. Marvel. The Kamala character is a Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City, and is Marvel’s first Muslim protagonist.

The photo, by Lebanese-born artist Rania Matar, shows Iman, a Canadian of Pakistani descent, in a clingy bandage dress and combat boots, her brown hair flowing free, her gaze direct. Linda Kamaroff, LACMA’s curator of Islamic art and head of the museum’s Art of the Middle East department, says the stereotype-busting image perfectly reflects the complex identities of contemporary women artists born or living in what the exhibition broadly defines as Islamic societies.

“I wanted to contradict the common American perception that women in the region are voiceless and invisible,” says Linda, who curated the show. “I want this exhibition to show these women do have voices, and they’re quite visible.”

Adds Linda, “I was also thinking about future generations. I want younger women and girls to see themselves in the art here. They can feel empowered by it.” She added that women outside of the Muslim diaspora will connect with the female struggle for empowerment that transcends language, country and culture.

The exhibition comprises about 75 works by 42 artists, many of which are from LACMA’s permanent collections, as well as newly acquired works. The curator shares another surprising fact: Of LACMA-owned works in its Middle East collection, half are created by women.

The exhibition runs through September 24 at LACMA. For more go to lacma.org.

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