yego.me
💡 Stop wasting time. Read Youtube instead of watch. Download Chrome Extension

Artist Designs Space for All | National Geographic


2m read
·Nov 11, 2024

In the whole time that I've lived in Pakistan, I may have gone inside a mosque maybe five times, and it may have been only because of tourism. So, I've never actually gone inside a mosque to pray. That was a public space that could have been a world of creativity for women, but they are not allowed to be in there culturally.

Taking that world of creativity that was kept away from me, I'm using that to create this. My awareness of the Alhambra was from a very early age. Being there, I kind of realized how important that architectural space is for both the East and the West, because that's where the East and the West met. The artisans were not just Muslims; they were Jewish as well as Christians who were brought in because of their ability to create beautiful environments.

In my imagination, or romantically, I kind of thought, what a beautiful jewel set in time, with all of these things happening around it. It's created this metaphor of Union, and then to compare it to our times now, it became very relevant in my opinion to use it as a symbol where we can maybe strive to be at that moment again.

So, Al Hamra became like a linchpin to create the project around. The photos are what I used to remind myself of what I had seen and then draw from that. So, they allow me to not have an exact replica, but it allows me to create an interpretation of the design that I saw.

I wanted to use a really strong light that would really shine and create strong, crisp shadows. So, the wattage on this bulb is about 600 watts. The object is small, but it has this big presence because of the light. So, it changes the environment into this Cathedral-like space or a mosque-like space that becomes extremely full.

So, it's no longer that object that's only six and a half feet square, but it's like encompassing the entire space. When I walk through it, of a new walkthrough, it becomes very experiential because the light casts the shadows on our body, so we become part of the environment.

It allows everybody of every denomination, color, race, creed, sexuality to be in that space because it's a place of beauty. People are coming to see it because it is creating an environment that makes them welcome in it. That, to me, is very important.

More Articles

View All
Wolf Scraps For Dinner | The Great Human Race
They’ve devoured it. There’s no reason to put ourselves in danger. We’re going to let these wolves finish eating this carcass and take off. I think they’re losing interest; they got to be full. With food options limited in the frozen tundra, Ice Age man …
The Truth About My Coffee Company (I Screwed Up)
What’s up you guys, it’s Graham here! So, two years ago, I made the decision to start my own coffee company, and this video is a prime example of what not to do because I’ll admit I made some pretty stupid mistakes. For those unaware, the idea of starting…
There's no such thing as Universally Preferable Behaviour
Universally preferable behavior is the name of Stefan Malan’s book arguing for an objective non-religious foundation for morality. Uh, I’ll begin by saying I don’t believe that anything that could fairly be called objective morality exists. Uh, so catego…
Face-to-Face with a Bear - Meet the Expert | National Geographic
Welcome! It is so lovely to see you all here today. I’m your host, Lizzy Daly, and I am thrilled to be bringing you all on an epic journey to meet some of the world’s best scientists, wildlife experts, and National Geographic explorers from around the wor…
Big Bend's New Bear Cubs | America's National Parks | National Geographic
NARRATOR: Nearly 6,000 feet up in the mountains, another mom has a huge challenge. A female black bear has spent the winter in a high mountain cave. She needs to teach her cubs to survive in the park. With little to no food or water for months, the stakes…
Ancient Maya 101 | National Geographic
The Maya, they’re considered one of the most advanced civilizations to have existed in the Americas before the Spanish conquest. But who exactly were the ancient Maya people, and what led to the collapse of their civilization? As early as 1800 BC, the Ma…