“It has always been a struggle for me to explain myself, who I truly am, and how I should or shouldn’t act in culturally diverse situations. Occasionally I feel confused, proud, and even awkward about how to deal with the differences of my two halves. Am I Iranian? Am I American? Should I be Muslim from my father or Jewish from my mother? I feel that maybe these photographs will answer some questions.” More here.
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my comments:
that’s natalie abbassi trying to make sense of her identity. such questions might be more pertinent for newer immigrants and certainly for people who have truly lived bi-culturally, as she has, especially when one of the cultures they r rooted in is perceived as the opposite of the other. iran is not just another country – it comes with a lot of stereotypical baggage in america. and i’m sure that the same is true of being an american in iran – altho perhaps to a lesser degree on account of american cultural hegemony. i find the formation of cross-cultural identities to be fascinating (perhaps because that’s something i think about a lot) and its artistic treatment is most interesting to me. i like what she has done. she has expressed her “duality” quite literally.
mixed identities have always existed, but they have never been immersed in such a global, complex, propagandized environment as today. the exploration of one’s identity is a way to come to terms with oneself especially if one part of ur identity is being articulated/mutilated for u on a daily basis. as far as those sharing in that exploration, i think that it can be an equally rich experience for them. it creates empathy, it widens one’s world. it’s a bit like learning a new language.