American-Islam Relations-Missouri (CAIR-MO) held the second annual Creativity and Identity: An American-Muslim Art Exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum, displaying contemporary Muslim art in a variety of mediums. “Art is the international language used by all peoples, cultures and religions to share with the world who they are, what they believe and inspire beauty,” executive director of CAIR-MO Faizan Syed said.
Syed and Pakistani-American sisters, Sadia and Yusra Ali, organized and curated the event. Yusra Ali created the exhibit to increase representation for Muslims in the art world. She studies Islamic sciences at the Al salam Institute and Cambridge Islamic College in the United Kingdom, interns at CAIR-MO and aspires to be an art therapist and an author.
The event was empowering for Muslim women; this year, twice as many artists showcased their work, almost three dozen, 28 of whom are women. The show included furniture, homemade soap, jewelry, painting, printmaking and textiles, while voices performed live comedy, poetry, speeches and spoken word. It elevated families as well, providing a space for children and their parents, and making it accessible for artists who are also mothers. St. Louis Gyros provided white rice, halaam gyro meat, salad, hummus and chips. Prayer rugs were on the floor, allowing Maghrib, the sunset prayer, to be practiced as a community.
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