Sarah Maple is a 23 year old practicing artist - and a practicing Muslim. She is as coquettish as Marilyn Monroe in her prime, and looks like Monica Bellucci if she lived in Dalston. Within these conditions lie the essence of her art. How do young Muslims, particularly women, express their identities in a culture that expects them to adhere to one of the most confusing stereotypes: the practicing Muslim living in the West?
Predictably she’s had crises with a blending these juxtaposing aspects of her character together. Through her art she’s creating a storm in the art world with an attempt to unite her religion and femininity into one proud unity.
Her last exhibition at Notting Hill’s SalLon Gallery featured a Muslim woman in a burka cradling a pig, and a self-portrait of Sarah in a hijab limbering up to (you would certainly presume) deepthroat a banana. There were a few members of the Muslim community who were so not down with this so they thought it best to smash the gallery’s windows and send Sarah some death threats.
With the political climate being such at the moment that many politicians have called for greater understanding of the Muslim community in the UK, we think Sarah’s work is an embodiment of how The West should understand the Muslim identity. An exploration of maintaining religious faith whilst portraying the bodily urges that transcend the barriers of religion.
You defend your work on the basis that you are a Muslim yourself so can’t be criticising the Islamic culture. Those you’ve offended say you can’t possibly be Muslim as you produce art so ‘offensive’ to the culture. What do you actually in your day-to-day life do to maintain your Muslim identity?
I don’t drink or smoke and I just try to be a nice person. I don’t pray five times a day, I pray once a day in my own kind of way. It’s an interpretational thing to me. Like in Arab countries Muslims have their own interpretations, so do I.
How did you react to the violent criticism you’ve received?
I was definitely scared when it first happened, and upset that people had misunderstood my work. Then you see these things like the Facebook group (I hate Sarah Maple, your art is degrading to the Muslim community) and think ‘Fuck you’, none of you are perfect. And I’ve tried to use criticism in a positive way too because I find it quite funny. On my publicity I use a quote someone wrote on my Myspace, ‘Sarah Maple’s art relies on her being attractive and Muslim’, and I was like ‘And?’. I like to use humour in my art so I use the good and bad for effect.
You’ve been compared with Tracy Emin, because you’re so open about your femininity. How do you feel about that?
I’m happy with those comparisons because she’s such an icon and I love her work. The thing is she’s a bit of a rebel and I’m not trying to be naughty, I’m just a bit of a geek. I don’t set out to provoke people, it just happens.
Sarah is currently working on her next exhibition. She doesn’t really know what it will include yet but is very excited that it will be in New York.
www.sarahmaple.com
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