Porda; Under The Veil
Due to an absence of a detailed scriptural guide on veiling, the rules governing robing and disrobing have developed organically in different Islamic communities. The veil is a highly personalised uniform, where instructions and details are passed between women in the family: grandmothers teach mothers; mothers teach their children. The veil is, of course, far more than fabric. It carries architectural notions of privacy, division, and containment, projecting these onto a woman’s body. The project explores the hijab as a space of control, carrying climate, privacy, and habitat. Through performance, exploring the complex narratives of gender and control woven into this gendered garment. The film Porda (the Bangla word for ‘veil’) is an instructional tutorial proposing new typologies of veiling that the audience can occupy, creating a specific Umwelt not only for the body it contains, but also out onto the public.
