Processing self: negotiating the tensions of Muslim womanhood through art-making in South Africa.

Abstract

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates processing the sociocultural complexities of being a South African Muslim woman, both locally and globally. The labyrinth of being a Muslim woman lends itself to questioning my Muslim identity in relation to the Middle East, and as a South African Muslim woman, how themes like gender, materiality, intertextuality, and my personal experiences influence my art practice. In my thesis, I use auto ethnography as a self-reflexive research method in the form of journal entries to motivate my artwork. These personal narratives inform a practice-led material inquiry into ritual and heirloom objects for me to better understand my faith.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die verwerking van die sosiokulturele kompleksiteite van 'n Suid-Afrikaanse Moslem-vrou, plaaslik en wereldwyd. Die veelvlakkigheid daarvan om 'n Moslem-vrou te wees, leen hom daartoe om my Moslem-identiteit met betrekking tot die Midde-Ooste te bevraagteken, en as 'n Suid-Afrikaanse Moslem-vrou, hoe temas soos geslag, materialiteit, intertekstualiteit, en my persoonlike ervarings my kunspraktyk beinvloed. My tesis gebruik outo-etnografie as 'n selfreflektiewe navorsingsmetode in die vorm van dagboekinskrywings om my kuns te motiveer. Hierdie persoonlike narratiewe vorm die grondslag vir 'n praktykgeleide materiele ondersoek na rituele en erfenisitems sodat ek my geloof beter kan verstaan.