Past Exhibition

Art on Demand 7.3

Artist Faria Firoz and Curated by Emilie Kvist
Oct 01, 2021
to
Nov 13, 2021
EXHIBITION
Faria Firoz, Bangla Fighter,, 2020, oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in.

For some, identities are deeply embedded in their homelands or cultures, while others see themselves through the lens of their profession or their passions. Yet how might your identity be impacted by leaving all of these things behind – if you left your job and your hobbies, your friends and familiar surroundings, in order to experience a completely different culture in a new country? How does it feel for one’s identities to shift, and co-exist within both spaces or not at all?

Having immigrated to British Columbia from her home country of Bangladesh, such questions have often crossed the mind of artist Faria Firoz and can be seen within her series Stuck in Liminality: Coping with culture shock. Currently based out of Chilliwack, she is a passionate activist for South Asian women’s rights and the rights of BIPOC individuals, and as a painter she uses her art practice to convey these values and to spread awareness for causes she is passionate about. Her paintings often include fine patterning detail that refers to traditional hand-stitched embroidery called kantha, which has been practiced by Bengali women for centuries. The practice of hand embroidering elaborate garments can require weeks or even months of labour, and women in rural areas often sell the finished pieces in order to make a small income and contribute to their family’s expenses. Firoz takes inspiration from such women, and incorporates these areas of dense patterning in her backgrounds as a way of paying homage to their strength and resilience.

The Reach Art on Demand 7.3 Monograph

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