Exploring NYC through 26 words
The part of a house in India or Pakistan reserved for women.
An area rug on cobblestones, reserved for women, framed one of the explorations of beauty offered to the Dumbo Art Festival audience by the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective. Revelatory for the women who accepted the invitation to wear the hijab, and revelatory for the male on-looker.
2007: Thanks Lynne for sending me to a new place in the 5 boroughs of New York, Queens! I have long wanted to explore the Roosevelt subway stop area which centers on Roosevelt Avenue filled with Asian Indian restaurants, sari shops, and, voila Le Henna womens’ beauty salon. The young woman artist who designed my hand was so surprised that I didn’t want an elaborate design, but rather, one that could be completed in the 2 to 3 minute video clip you asked of me. There she is, there are our ears, our hands. Wedded for 3 minutes! Of course, I immediately went to the nearby store and bought my own henna ready to draw the body brown line beauty brown. (Barbara Hammer)
Sitting in a park under the Queesborough Bridge, a beautiful Henna necklace was drawn on my neck. It looked great with my black dress.
A touching installation by Swoon and Tennessee Jane Watson—an attempt to reach beyond the unconscionable and unhoped-for, in an unexpected gallery, more open than any other in Chelsea, yet with more sense of barrier to enter.
http://flickr.com/photos/43516280@N00/2554295988
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmDHDSfpqxM
Zenana (n.):
Zenana (Persian/Urdu: , Hindi) refers to the part of a house in South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan reserved for the women of the household. The Zenana is the apartments of an Eastern house in which the women of the family are secluded. This is an Islamic custom, which has been introduced into India and has spread amongst the Hindus.
Zenana (n.): The part of a house in Asian countries such as India and Pakistan reserved for the women of the household.
[Hindi zenana, from Persian, from zan, woman; Indo-European roots.]
Segment producer: Barbara Hammer