Muslim Women’s Self-Representation in Art

This article examines German Muslim women’s artistic self-representation arguing that their public engagement can be seen as an example of counterpublics. Two main features can be found. First, the artists feel disappointed by the mainstream public, as it excludes and misrepresents Muslim women. Second, an agitational orientation can be observed, as the artists intend to offer explicitly articulated alternative self-representations targeting the mainstream public. The normality of their female German Muslim identity is conveyed. The very fact that the artists aim to challenge dominant stereotypes about Muslim women reveals the stereotypes’ strong influence on their self-representation. Due to their Muslim and female identity, Muslim women in the West face several exertions of power. The theory of intersectionality shows that their self-representation can be seen as a refusal to serve as an object of the male gaze, as well as the non-Muslim German gaze.