Yumna Al-Arashi's "Body as Resistance": A Captivating Photography & Sculpture Exhibition at Huis Marseille

Huis Marseille presents the first solo museum exhibition of Yemeni-Egyptian-American artist Yumna Al-Arashi, titled 'Body as Resistance'. Through photography, book art, and sculpture, Al-Arashi challenges the oppression and stereotyping of women, exploring the legacy of colonialism and rediscovering lost matriarchal traditions within the Arab world.

Yumna Al-Arashi's 'Body as Resistance' marks her first solo museum exhibition at Huis Marseille, showcasing the work of the Yemeni-Egyptian-American artist (b. 1988, Washington D.C.). The exhibition features a wide array of media, including photography, artist books, and sculpture, through which Al-Arashi directly confronts the global oppression and stereotyping of women. Her work delves into critical themes such as the portrayal of the Arab world, the enduring legacy of colonialism in contemporary thought, and the contemplation of ancient, nearly forgotten matriarchal traditions. Al-Arashi's artistic approach is multifaceted, seamlessly blending playful, defiant, poetic, and at times enraged registers, often encapsulating all these emotions simultaneously. Initially a self-taught documentary photographer for prominent publications like National Geographic, Al-Arashi experienced a significant shift towards a more political and conceptual practice. This change stemmed from her reflection on the inherent 'violence' in photography's terminology—words like 'capturing,' 'shooting,' and 'taking'—and the power dynamics between image-makers and their subjects. She consciously depicts women in her photographs as strong, beautiful, and resilient, frequently incorporating herself into conceptual self-portraits to challenge the conventional power dynamic and assert her body as central to her political discourse. Her work directly resists the stereotypical and often negative representation of her ancestral countries, depicting veiled women in powerful poses that convey pride and solidarity, as seen in series like 'Axis of Evil' and 'Shedding Skin.' A notable highlight is her 2024 artwork 'Aisha,' an award-winning book inspired by her Yemeni grandmother, which explores the vanishing tradition of facial tattoos in North African women. This project serves as an ode to Arab women, countering colonial-tinted representations and presenting the body as a repository of memories and a bridge across generations.