Houria Niati
Houria Niati (born 1948 in Khemis Miliana, Algeria) is an Algerian, contemporary artist living in London.[1] Niati specializes in mixed media installations that criticize Western representations of Non-Western cultures and peoples.[2] Her installations notably have live performances most commonly traditional Algerian music such as Raï, as a key visual representation of Niati's homeland and culture.[1] The installations and exhibitions joined together paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos, soundtracks, and performances.[1]
Early life and career
Niati grew up in French-occupied Algeria, where over one million Algerians were killed for resisting occupation.[1] When Niati was twelve years old, she demonstrated against French colonialism with her anti-colonial graffiti, which landed her in jail.[1] Niati's experiences with the French occupation and eventual revolution of her people greatly influenced her art later in life.[1]
Niati moved to London in the late 1970s, where she observed Western art that depicted Algerian people, especially women, in a fictionalized and exotic way.[1] This influenced her own depictions of post-colonial cultures, nations, and people.[1] She attended Camden Arts Centre and Croydon College of Art.[3]
Selected exhibitions
- 1983: Five Black Women, Africa Centre, London
- 1990: No to the Torture, first displayed at the Cartwright Hall Museum[1]
- 1991: Bringing Water from the Fountain, first displayed at the Harris Museum[1]
- 2013: Houria Niati: Identity Search, Conway Hall, London, UK[4]
Selected bibliography
Niati, Houria (1999). "Diverse Bodies of Experiences". In Lloyd, Fran (ed). Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the Present. WAL Women's Art Library. ISBN 9781902770000.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fairchild Ruggles, D. (2006). Women, Patronage, and Self-Representation in Islamic Societies. Albany: SUNY Press. p. 243. ISBN 0791493075. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ↑ De Weever, Jacqueline (Spring 2004). "Review: Women, Patronage, and Self-Representation in Islamic Societies by D. FAIRCHILD RUGGLES". Arthuriana. 14 (1): 114–116. doi:10.1353/art.2004.0029. JSTOR 27870591.
- ↑ Hassan, Salah M. (26 January 2013). "The Installations of Houria Niati". Project MUSE. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ↑ Highet, Juliet (16 September 2013). "Houria Niati: Identity Search". Asharq Al Awsat. Retrieved 7 March 2015.