Aya Haidar British-Lebanese, b. 1985
93 x 80cm
38 3/8 x 33 1/8 x 2 in
Further images
Provenance
Exhibitions
"Tolteesh" is an Arabic term commonly used in colloquial language to convey a sexualized and gendered message, typically employed by men as a public advance toward women with the aim of eliciting a response.
In this series, Haidar draws from her personal encounters on the streets of Beirut through a collection of embroidered works that capture the catcalls directed at her by men in public spaces. In Arabic, these phrases might seem far-fetched and almost poetic. In response, women often react with a smirk and just walk on. Yet, Haidar, by harnessing and translating these words into English, aims to disrupt the hegemonic order and expose the entrenched subjugation in these expressions.
In a region where overt sexuality is perceived as taboo and conflicted, these attempts to objectify women remain offensive, yet are oddly socially accepted. This series delves into the linguistic nuances of these terms and explores what is lost when translating them from Arabic to English. The act of translation alters the power dynamics behind the phrases, rendering them absurd and nonsensical. By translating these catcalls into English, a deliberate shift in the power dynamic is achieved. The loss in translation transforms them into expressions that border on the ridiculous, yet the humour endures. This deliberate alteration establishes a new exchange, where Haidar seizes control of the language and reflects the light of awkward humour and subtle humiliation back upon the originators.
Each piece in the series is meticulously hand-embroidered and embellished, invoking the feminine. The durational act of crafting draws on the intimate and personal, providing a layer of complexity to the artwork that mirrors the intricate dynamics of language, power, and societal norms.
Literature
This ongoing body of work stems from photographs taken by Haidar in and around Lebanon. Her snapshots depict old buildings, familiar scenes of clothes on washing lines, cabbies, and the streets of her homeland. Adding a new layer to these images, Haidar intervenes by taking these snapshots, printing them on fabric, and embroidering them to offer new meaning.
In one example, she employs a vibrant palette to stitch in the bullet holes found in the buildings. Haidar observes a selective amnesia of the past in Lebanon. Through her process of intervention and remembrance, she raises the question of whether this amnesia is rooted in the perpetual cycle of violence. Haidar argues that it is crucial to showcase the scars of the past. While moving forward is essential, acknowledging and bearing those scars are equally important. Covering them up does not address the underlying issues; it leads to forgetting and masking unresolved matters.
By embroidering these bullet holes, Haidar constructs colourful bandages, making the scars of her country’s past more prominent. This serves as a way to highlight the cycles of violence that keep resurfacing.