Her Voice, 2015
Performance staged for video
Medium: Wooden object (made out of a wooden stick and wooden bowl), my hair.
Creating a handmade object to play with my hair serves as a means of creating sound art and experimental music that engages with gender and feminism. Using my hair, I ‘give voice’ to the experiences and cultural framing of Kurdish women. The object itself is made from everyday objects that are more related to the work of women in our society, such as the Tirok, a wooden stick used for making Kurdish bread, and a bowl. The shape of both pieces is also a metaphor for sexual issues, such as the phallus and cunt, which also refer to the architectural aspect of the mosque.
This performance, called “Her Voice,” is divided into two aspects. Firstly, it is an experimental sound-making that serves as a protest against patriarchy, depression, and devaluing in Iraq. Secondly, the object itself serves a function. I use the bowl for its echo, and I put a single strand of my hair to make a sound with my fingers. However, over time, the hair will be cut because of my fingers, and I will put another strand without taking it out from my head to continue my performance.