Thirteenth International Conference on The Image

Abstract

In midst of the postcolonial patriarchal and Islamized constructs; Aysha Bilal’s “Oppositely Parallels” is a visual inquiry of ‘defined’ spaces for females normed by the society in Pakistan. Initializing with a visual inquiry to measure physical and intangible spaces for female existence in society this series also records the expanding visual representation of females in commodity culture through billboards and window displays that is in opposition to the confining boundaries for females in general. Dominantly placed, well lit, overpowering and catchy images of liberated females on gigantic billboards in a society where otherwise women are not ‘expected’ to stay out alone becomes basis of “Oppositely Parallels” whilst questioning the contrary notions designed for controlled representation of females in public and private spaces. “Oppositely Parallels” initiates a discourse over the vis-à-vis existence of female spaces defined by society whether these be confined or expanding. This series records spectrum of spaces from ‘likeable’ spaces in form of home and so-called ‘acceptable’ spaces in form of window displays and billboards. It also comments on the levels of female representation from an alone female, to a female with family and from an image of female to the mannequin of resembling her.