Yumna Al-Arashi's Exhibition 'Aisha' at B7L9 Challenges Colonial Archives of Ancestral Tattoos
Yumna Al-Arashi, a photographer of Yemeni-Egyptian-American descent, showcases her exhibition 'Aisha' at B7L9 in La Marsa, highlighting portraits of women adorned with ancestral tattoos from North Africa. This exhibition, which runs through July 31, draws inspiration from her 392-page monograph released in September 2022. Al-Arashi's creative journey began with the discovery of old photographs of her great-grandmother Aisha. Due to her inability to travel to Yemen, she dedicated three years to capturing images of women across North Africa. The exhibit features both landscape photography and portraits that celebrate these women’s tattoos, including a poignant image of a woman in tears. Additionally, a wall honors all the women depicted by listing their names.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Aisha' features Yumna Al-Arashi's photographs of women with ancestral tattoos
- Show runs until July 31 at B7L9 in La Marsa
- Al-Arashi is a Yemeni-Egyptian-American photographer and filmmaker
- Project began after examining faded photos of her great-grandmother Aisha
- Artist researched colonial archives in London but found them inadequate
- Photographs taken over three years across North Africa due to Yemen's war
- Exhibition includes landscapes suspended from ceiling and intimate portraits
- Final wall lists names of all women pictured in the exhibition
Entities
Artists
- Yumna Al-Arashi
- Aisha
Institutions
- B7L9
- Canvas
Locations
- La Marsa
- Tunisia
- London
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- North Africa