Is a woman wearing a burka with a badge reading: I love orgasm art? It may not be as intricate as Picasso, but it tells a secret story that “Muslim women enjoy sex too” says artist Sarah Maple. Good art tells tales about the word, nature, people, and civilisation that we otherwise choose to ignore. As Maple prepares for her first solo exhibition in New York, Aimee Kapfunde looks at the controversy surrounding her artistic career.
‘This Artist Blows’ was Maple’s debut show last year at the SaLon Gallery in west London, it was a culmination of work that evocatively explored religion, pop culture, and the idea of self in the western world. The exhibition triggered an extraordinary response vandalism, abusive emails, and even death threats to the Muslim artist and her family. The Islamic community was appalled and condemned her work deeming it as offensive, demining, shameful, and more importantly non Islamic - why the backlash?
The contemporary artist, Sarah Maple is a mix of two conflicting worlds: west meets east, her Father is British whereas her Mother is Kenyan. Raised as a Muslim while attending a Catholic school in Eastbourne, Maple best describes herself as a “Muslim with a white face.” Confusing, yes. Sarah admits to feeling: “Torn between the two [cultures], I really wanted to be a good Muslim ...but because I’m white people never thought I was.”
Amongst other influences and inspirations like the Kate Moss, England, and voyeurism, the cultural and religious conflict of being a ‘good’ Muslim in a western world shapes Maple’s work. Specialising in painting and photography in a series of intimate self portraits, Sarah uses tongue and cheek humor to portray racism, sexism and Islamophobia, issues dominant in modern Britain.
Maple is undoubtedly most famous for her painting entitled: Haram, a self portrait of herself wearing the hijab whilst cradling a piglet. This image is beyond captivating - are Muslims allowed to do this? The Quran preaches the dietary laws in which Muslims must abide by; including abstaining from pork because pigs are viewed as dirty animals, but Maple see’s no harm in cradling a young piglet. This painting is “my favourite” she boasts but, it is the most disliked amongst fellow Muslims: Dr Abdulkarim Khalil, of the Al-Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in London, accuses the young artist of purposely trying to offend people; another Muslim leader calls the Haram an “insult in the name of Art.” The criticism continues, Maple is one tick pony “relying purely on being an attractive Muslim”, says an anonymous commentator on Myartspace.com – how wrong they all are.
“When people say I’m taking the piss, it’s so hurtful because my work is so deep rooted with growing up and how bad I felt...my work is deeper than people think”
Maple takes fabricated scenes and situations and uses them as “food for thought” for her audience, pairing things that you wouldn’t assume go together but belong together, for example Islam and sex “why can’t a woman in Islamic clothing love orgasms” she asks “why is this so bad?”
Like many artist’s Sarah yearns to be liked, and appreciates the comparisons made between herself and the art legend Tracey Emin (made by the Independent on Sunday). The Kingston graduate already has a loyal following and is thrilled at the thought of her solo exhibition in New York “where people actually have to pay to view it” she screams – an entry fee, a definite sign of making it.
“I want to be liked...and I don’t want to offend anybody or upset anyone – but sometimes you have to do that to raise a point.” Her work is more than just humorous, people are always suggesting that she should paint “a pig wearing a burka” because that would be hilarious “but I only do things that are intelligent and make valid points”. So as funny as a pig in a burka may be, it has no place in any of Sarah’s work. “I would never do something that would offend someone seriously.”
Sarah’s forthcoming show scheduled for the end of the year is based on retrospect, it will look back at her career so far with a selection of her best photographs and paintings. She hopes the exhibition will include the Haram, a piece which was essential to her development, and first established her as the young, attractive and innovative artist that the world now knows.
At only 23, Maple’s professional career has been short but really jumpstarted after winning the Channel Four award: ‘4 New Sensations’ and The Saatchi Gallery award for the “most talented and imaginative artist graduating in the UK”. The Saatchi winner is decided by a public vote, and Sarah stole this with her brave and blunt poster campaign urging voters: “Vote for me or you’re Racist, Vote for me or you’re Sexist, Vote for me or you’re Islamophobic, and Vote for me or you’re an IslamophobicSexistRacist.”
These three themes are dominant in all of Maple’s work so far, but she assures us that she is a “genre spanner” in her own words, so there is no fear of tired repetition.
“I’m on a journey I’m growing up. I don’t know what I think about things…but I’m making new work all the time.”
Ambition is what drives the young Muslim artist, and amidst all of the abuse and death threats it still means “more to me to be a successful artist than anything else”, she can’t think of another job that she would rather do – and unlike other graduates who have a plan A, B, C, and D to fall back on, plan B for Sarah is simply “suicide” that’s how passionate she is. “I want this so badly” she smiles.
Muslims, Catholics, Africans, or British, the one thing we all have in common is death, it is promised to every one of us. In death Maple aspires to be “the Michael Jackson of the art world.” An icon you either love or hate. “If everyone liked my work it would be boring” she says.
So, is America ready for this straight talking, feminist, Muslim, starlet, whose artwork asks: “Have you wanked over me yet?”
