Celebrating Women in Islamic Art: Hend Al-Mansour’s “Contain Me” Exhibition Opens in Minneapolis

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Minnesota-based artist Hend Al-Mansour spotlights the legacy of two influential Muslim women, Khadijah and Hafsah, in her latest exhibition, Contain Me, set to open at the SOO Visual Art Center in Minneapolis. The show, featuring vibrant video animations and large-scale painted illustrations, debuts with a reception from November 23rd and runs through January 5th.

Through her kaleidoscopic works, Al-Mansour honours Khadijah (RA), (who supported and inspired the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during Islam’s early days, and Hafsah, the guardian of the first complete Quran. “I want to give them the credit they deserve,” Al-Mansour explains. “They were called mothers of believers and serve as enduring role models for all Muslims.”

In her animated videos, Al-Mansour whimsically portrays herself alongside Khadijah and Hafsah, using this connection to explore her relationship with Islamic art as a woman. Originally from Saudi Arabia, the artist reflects on how traditional Islamic art was often perceived as male-dominated. “Growing up, I felt Islamic art belonged to men. It never occurred to me that women could be creators, which now seems logical,” she shares.

Her work reimagines traditional Islamic patterns with vibrant hues of blues, yellows, violets, and reds, blending abstract designs with silhouettes of the women. “It’s my way of reclaiming my place in Islamic art and asserting my equality and worth as a woman,” Al-Mansour adds.

The exhibition also coincides with Transformed, a show by Al-Mansour’s friend, Fawzia Khan, at the same venue. Both exhibitions celebrate the richness of Islamic art and the transformative power of women’s contributions.

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