Documented madness

dynamicafrica:

Meet Afro-Creative: Nadia Faragaab

Born in Australia, Nadia became the first Somali person in Australia to exhibit a collection at the Blak Dot Gallery in Melbourne last year.
The exhibition titled ‘Kronologies’ was aimed at highlighting and debating the lack of representation of Somali people within the Australian culture. Nadia also wanted to empower the Somali community by showcasing its culture through a juxtaposition of the old and new.

Her journey is so recognizable. The pieces are so familiar and literal and yet they evokes alot more. For me: what is home? What makes a culture when you’re away from the country that was the cradle of that culture? And how are young people who haven’t grown up there supposed to connect to that culture? 

But also, it brings to mind the resilience of a people, the connections that go deep, the beauty in that connection. I’ll never be a nationalist, but somehow finding and recognizing myself in other young Somalis who are on the same journey of discovering heritage, identity and Soomaalinimo and who express themselves with such honesty and love, I feel connected. A rare sensation for a professional outsider like myself.

(via timirsho-deactivated20130324)