Artist Farwa Moledina, in collaboration with community group Date Palm Tree, has created a series of collective works using recycled materials inspired by personal family connections. The project celebrates Ummah – the Islamic concept of a community that transcends borders, boundaries, and governments.
Throughout the summer, Moledina engaged with Date Palm Tree, a group of approximately 250 Muslim mothers, carers, and children based at Bullingdon Community Centre. Their collaboration brought together community-centred artistic practice with diverse participatory opportunities, allowing adults and children alike to contribute to the creative process. The workshops focused on the story of Maryam and Isa (a.s.) (Mary and Jesus), a narrative that celebrates motherhood and womanhood – important themes within the Date Palm Group’s mission.
Back Toward Oneness celebrates creativity, making, and storytelling as a powerful tapestry of unity and connection. The resulting co-created works will be exhibited in our Ground Floor Gallery from 5 December 2024 to 9 March 2025.
Discover more about artist Farwa Moledina and the Date Palm Tree community group below.
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Farwa Moledina is a Muslim artist of Yemeni-Tanzanian heritage. She was raised in Dubai and currently lives and works in Birmingham. Moledina’s work is inspired by art history, architecture and her own cultural background. She often uses recurring patterns influenced by characteristics of Islamic design: symmetry, abstraction, and recurrence, and delves into themes of faith, family, and the histories of Muslim women. Artworks manifest across textile-based installations suspended in space, framed compositions, or more recently, spaces for reflection inspired by traditional floor seating in Arab and Muslim households. Moledina has exhibited widely in the UK, including at Ikon, Arnolfini, and The New Art Gallery Walsall, and internationally during the Lahore Biennale and at Warehouse421 in Abu Dhabi.
Date Palm Tree is a comfortable space with a positive Islamic ethos for all Muslim mums, whether expecting a baby, a first time mother or a mum of many, it’s a great way to meet other mums and support one another in raising children. Running since January 2014, the group meets every Thursday morning at the Bullingdon Community Centre in Oxford.
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