I grew up reading beauty magazines, yearning for better skin, straight hair, and a stunning wardrobe to match. These left me feeling insufficient in my own skin - longing for that which I would never have.
In India, fair skin is valued above all else. Intelligence is not appreciated, degrees hold no value, and women who want to work are considered unfit for marriage. We are groomed to be quiet, obedient, non-confrontational pacifists with flawless beauty.
Flawless is the first mask I ever wore. But like everything that is not authentic, cracks began to appear, and eventually, the mask had to come off.
Naqab (Mask) is a photographic exploration through a series of portraits of the many masks I wear as an Indian woman. It is my attempt to unravel, uncover, and discover my deep-seated conditioning, biases, strengths and weaknesses, one portrait at a time.
The project will span a year, with one portrait every week.
If you enjoy this project, please consider sharing or recommending my publication. It would immensely help a new writer like me reach a wider audience.
This is such a fantastic idea Samira! That you have thought of a year long series is really commendable. I’m looking forward to it.
this goes straight to the heart to explore who we really are behind the masks we put on in our daily lives. My wife and I talked about this idea of "putting on a mask" as well a few days ago. We put the the mask of a parent without knowing it. How should we expect our kids to know who we really are if we are not truly ourselves?