mounir fatmi - "Alhamdu | Muslim futurism"

ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM is an evolving experiential art exhibition created by MIPSTERZ exploring Muslim Futurism—a cultural and artistic approach that imagines a broader Muslim future free from the oppression of today and set in a utopic tomorrow of our collective creation. Muslim Futurism learns from Afrofuturism as defined by Ingrid LaFleur as an "intersectional, multi-temporal, and inter-disciplinary approach to the future." It, in part, also represents an expansion of Malcolm X's description of Black Muslim futurism that centers on a self-sufficient community on the path of collective liberation based on Islamic principles of justice. Finally, the ongoing Palestinian liberation movement—much like other indigenous survival struggles—creates a framework for Muslim Futurism wherein joy, thriving, and flourishing are bold acts of resistance against oppression. Thus, "Muslim Futurism”—as at MIPSTERZ came to define it—reflects the five core themes of identity, community, resistance, liberation, and imagination.

 

In the contemporary exhibition landscape, there are few opportunities for Muslims to authentically represent their creative imaginations, craft narratives contextualizing their artistic vision, and curate exhibitions around self-chosen themes. ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM, on the other hand, is an exhibition comprised of artwork from dozens of Muslim and Muslim-adjacent artists and curated through a collaborative process consisting exclusively of Muslim voices. ALHAMDU visually and interactively envisions a future where our dignity, flourishing, and imaginations as Muslims are actualized. With ALHAMDU , we dream of worlds and communities where we exist boldly, proudly, and unapologetically. May the process of boldly asserting our existence disrupt the hegemonic powers of today and serve as a portal to another planet where our joy is championed, our spirits are revitalized, and our commitments to flourishing and justice are re-energized.