Art exhibit deserves praise, not criticism

By: Tahira Lindsay

Posted: 3/4/08

"Art Exhibit Creates Conflict," was the headline for an article printed Wednesday by The Daily Orange about the current exhibit portraying Indian women.

This article dealt with the concerns of Fazel Sheikh's photographs at the Syracuse University Art Museum, and must be questioned and scrutinized. Many of the students and professors quoted within the article claimed Sheikh's work misrepresents Indian women. Contrary to their concerns, Sheikh's work - when taken into context - does just the opposite.

"One of the primary issues is the inaccuracies in Sheikh's text and the extremely negatively view he gives his audience," said Susan Wadley, an SU anthropology professor and prime opponent of the exhibit. This view Wadley's referring to regards the very real portraits and images of horrid Indian bride burnings, widow abandonment and tortuous rapes.

According to fazelsheikh.org, 7,000 women in India will be murdered by family members and in-laws based on dowry disputes by the end of the year. And on average, an Indian woman is raped every hour. More than 500,000 women bearing baby girls receive abortions every year due to the stigma of "burden" placed on family members when a girl is born. If these facts are valid, how can some say Sheikh's work is inaccurate?

It should be understood that his work is not intended to encompass a totality of a people or a culture, as many ethnic art galleries shouldn't. Sheikh is only giving his findings on a small study from his travels throughout India, which he refers to within the exhibit brochure.

The purpose of the exhibit is not to give the viewer a complete look into the history and image of all Indian women, but to tell specific stories, to incite a certain emotion and most of all, to influence certain dialogue.

Wadley said she is not trying to censor art, but she said the exhibit "should have more balance to help people understand that not all Indian women are treated in this way."

Sheikh explains, though, that his context is intended to "show how some women are the victims of religious and cultural codes that reduce many of them to little more than child- like servants" in Vrindavan, one of India's most holiest cities, according to fazelsheikh.org. The key phrase here is "some women," but many seem to have missed that.

"You have to take it into context," said sophomore art history major Ali Falotico. "The exhibit is a slice of Indian life, not a representation of a total culture. It's narrow-minded for people to think that students can't distinguish that."

Senior biology major Courtneye Mills asked, "Why would you want to censor something that's shedding light on such a grave injustice?"

The "Beloved Daughters" exhibit shows a portion, albeit large or small, of the issues facing Indian society. The images shown were chosen by Sheikh to express his views, and assuredly the views of others, of the hidden and horrid realities facing parts of India today. As a campus community that undoubtedly has the responsibility to become aware of various global issues, it seems only right to welcome this exhibit as an interactive tool to incite international responsibility and justice to this campus.

By attempting to censor an exhibit, one inhibits students' ability to visualize global issues and spark conversation with peers and fellow community members. Sheikh's exhibit achieved such goals, and his work not only sparked dialogue, but quite possibly change.

Tahira Lindsay is a senior communications and rhetorical studies and Spanish language major. Her columns appear every other Tuesday. She can be reached at talindsa@syr.edu.