Censored

I’d like to also add that I am in no way trying to speak negatively about Islam. It is a beautiful religion that has been exploited by extremists such as terrorists and the men that run the Saudi Arabian government. Although the issue of gender inequality is rooted down to ancient religious ways, it is far from what the religion really stands for today.

Saudi Arabia is infamous for its conservative ways that feature inscrutable limitations. Aside from the law enforced dress code, women in the country are restricted from basic necessities such as driving or leaving the house without a male guardian. The nation is so far behind when it comes to gender equality, that women were given the right to vote just few years back in 2015.

Regardless of these conditions, you will still meet many women from Saudi Arabia that are proud of their nations ways and have no objections towards such sexism. This is mainly because there is no line between Saudi government and religion, and speaking against the government is the same as speaking against the religion. Due to the taboo nature of speaking against the nation, people are either too scared or too brain washed to speak about it at all.

My journey with painting began in high school in an attempt to raise awareness of the injustice towards women in the country. As a woman living in Saudi Arabia, I was restricted from openly speaking about such concerns, so I painted about it instead. Sadly, I was restricted from that too after having my work censored due to controversial themes. Sadly, I was discouraged from painting for a while until I moved to California for college. This project  revisits work and subject matter which was censored back home.