99 Clay Vessels: The Muslim Women Storytelling Project (2021-2022)

The vessels were made in 2017; Ceramic, pit fired, 72 x 36 x 10 inches

After a prolonged experience of anti-Muslim bigotry, I created 99 sculptural vessels to represent the 99 names of God in Islam, known as Asma Al-Husna (The Beautiful Names). Each of the 99 pots has its own shape, size, and fire marks, each one unique while also part of the whole. The pots represent the primordial power of tawhid, the Islamic principle of the diversity of all encapsulated in the One. It is precisely this principle, the drawing together of our diverse identities in fellowship, that is the opposite of bigotry and discrimination. Crafting the pots was a way for me to move through the ordeal I faced and remember the sacred commitment at the core of my faith—as the Quran says, “O believers! Stand firm for justice and bear witness to God, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives...refrain from following your own desire so that you can act justly” (Surat an-Nisa/Chapter of The Women, 4:135). 

I then used the 99 vessels as conceptual containers to hold 99 unique stories from Muslim women about experiences of bigotry and resilience. You can read more about the project here.