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
Types of Radiation
At the end of the 1800s, physicists were staggered to find there was radiation coming out of all kinds of things—just dirt and rocks. Uh, the very first time this was discovered was with a jar of uranium salts that was left in a drawer overnight, and in t…
Making $1,000 Per Day Washing Windows | Undercover Millionaire
What’s up, you guys? It’s Graham here. So, a few months ago my security system caught this guy showing up at the house. At first, I had no idea what he was doing. He honestly looked to be up to no good. But the next day, my neighbor told me that he was go…
The Stock Market JUST Went From BAD To WORSE | How To Prepare
All right, so this is getting out of control. First, we had Facebook plummet 26% in a single day. Then we had Netflix fall 35% overnight as they lost subscribers. Shortly after, Walmart drops 25% on missed earnings. And then the nail in the coffin: Tarjay…
The Compound Effect: How Small Decisions Lead to Massive Growth
Have you ever felt helpless when you work on your business every day and see little to no return? Then one day, suddenly you make a huge profit, and your business skyrockets from that point? That’s The Compound Effect in action, one of the most powerful f…
Culture with Brian Chesky and Alfred Lin (How to Start a Startup 2014: Lecture 10)
The main stage is going to be with Brian when he comes up and talks about how he built the Airbnb culture. So you’re here, you’ve been following the presentations and now you know how to get started. You built the team, you started to sort of build your p…
Hide Out On the Border | Badlands, Texas
This is the end of the road right here, a church. Oh, there’s in Mexico! Go see Fred. I try to come check on him, you know, at least once a month. Down here I get tainted; he needs something, I’ll bring it. This is Fred’s little hideout here. There’s Fre…