In a troubled area, love and harmony can still flourish. In a climate of uncertainty and violence, courage sometimes means getting up and making art. "Hope And Courage Human Compassion Love And Values Of Beauty In The Way Of Life" is the latest exhibition by a group of female Muslim artists from the Deep South known as the Muslimah collective, who put their faith in the goodness of humanity through their art.
The exhibition at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) is part of the ongoing Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB), which runs through February.
Its deliberately long and literal title "Hope And Courage Human Compassion Love And Values Of Beauty In The Way Of Life" reflects the fact that this is a mixed media set of artworks. The group, led by Narathiwat-based artist Keeta Isran, was formed in 2015 in order to wave the peace flag via the medium of art in Thailand's troubled Deep South. Keeta also runs De' Lapae Contemporary Art Space in her hometown.
The Truth Of Life by Arichama Pakapet. Bangkok Art Biennale
Her work with Muslimah first appeared at the BACC as part of a People's Gallery exhibition in September 2017 under the name "The Way Of Women". In the latest show, Keeta's work is on show alongside that of four other artists -- Nureeya Waji, Heedayah Mahavi, Kusofiyah Nibuesa and Arichama Pakapet.
All of the artists live and work in and around Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, where a violent conflict between insurgents and the Thai military has raged since 2004.
"I believe that we are all doing art as part of the healing process," said Keeta. "Living in a conflict zone isn't easy. There are more stories of women in the Deep South who are suffering that you don't see in the news, but this is the reality of our lives. We're living with it every day and we never know what's going to happen tomorrow. So we decided to create this little peaceful space and community to disseminate the true Islamic way of living."
Keeta also works as an art teacher at Prince of Songkla University Pattani Campus. There she meets and recruits friends and students with artistic backgrounds, most of them women.
The five artists of Muslimah -- the term means "female Muslims" -- use mainly natural materials as a medium to create their works with a feminine aesthetic. From ruminations on what it is to be a woman to simple childhood memories, each artist embodies their message in a unique way. This is reflected in their choice of medium, be it drawing, textile or etching, and their focus on concepts such as integrity, humanity and faith.
Heedayah employs drawings on local dry hay, which capture the care and loving expressions of her parents. In Kusofiyah's unique 3D bas-relief-style prints, various emblems and motifs on paper are folded into the forms of people going about their daily routines, conveying the diversity of her hometown. Nuriya's stitched cloth and batik work reflects people's anxieties over the ongoing conflict. Arichama's bond with the Muslim faith and her family's commercial fishing business is shown in her large open-ended cloth of tied organic threads.
Keeta prefers black-and-white sketch drawing and photography printing techniques on paper with images of Muslim women in hijabs surrounded by smoky images.
The Feeling Of A Loved One by Heedayah Mahavi. Bangkok Art Biennale
"It is representative of a journal, chronicling the lives of Muslims in the south," Keeta said in describing her work. "Most people learn about the lives of people here through the news on TV or in newspapers, which is full of negative stories. They don't know that there's still many parts of the region where people live peacefully. All the smoke and soot that you see in the background is symbolic of memories and hope. People may get the idea that it's smoke from guns or explosions. It's not."
Keeta said that while conflicts are still happening in these areas, she wants people to see the beauty that exists there as well. As Muslim women, she believes that she and her friends must use their art to convey this message and educate society about the similarities between its differing cultures, therefore creating a more stable community for all. "It's like planting flowers in a war zone," she said. "We hope the beauty of flowers will always shine wherever they grow."
After the exhibition at BACC ends in February, Keeta will move the show to De' Lapae Art Space in Bang Nara, Narathiwat province, which Keeta co-owns with her artist friend Prach Pimarnman who also shares her passion for peace.
"It's an art studio and exhibition space we opened in 2015 without any expectation of government support. It was designed to be a place where we can exhibit work by interesting local artists, as well as be a free space for the small local art community," she said.
"I'm glad that a new generation of people in the area is getting more interested in art. A few years back, most people didn't pay any attention to art due to their strict religious interpretations.
"Now there are a lot more local artists who can achieve some level of success and get their work presented in Bangkok or even outside the country. And that helps set a new standard for the way people look at art. I think people are more open to new things now."
