Behnaz Babazadeh

Behnaz Babazadeh is an Afghan-American photographer. Babazadeh immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan as a child.[1] Her photographs of burqas made out of colorful American candies challenge the western notion that burqas are an oppressive garment.[2]

Biography

Babazadeh moved with her family to the United States in the mid-1990s when she was seven years old.[3] She attended Towson University, studying digital art and design. She received her MFA in design and technology in 2012 jointly from Parsons School of Design and The New School.[4]

Beginning in 2017 she has hosted hackathons in Kabul, Afghanistan under the organization she founded called Code93.[5]

Art

In 2012, Babazadeh created the multimedia series, Burqaphilia, of self portraits, videos, and installations featuring burqas made of candy.[6]

In 2020, Babazedah created another series entitled Burqa Diaries, featuring photos of a woman wearing a traditional blue burqa doing typically American activities (filling a car with gas, getting a manicure, and visiting an art museum).[7]

References

1. Rogers, Fiona; Houghton, Max (21 August 2017). "Behnaz Babazadeh's candy burqas challenge cultural stereotypes". CNN. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
2. "Discussing racism and identity through ART". The News International. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
3. Kail, Ellyn (1 March 2016). "Artist Creates Self-Portraits Wearing Burqas Made of Candy". Feature Shoot. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
4. "Behnaz Babazadeh's LinkedIn profile". Retrieved 8 December 2021.
5. Parks, Tynisha (6 March 2021). "Inspiring Women: On Teamwork & Wellness". Eleven by Venus Williams. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
6. Harewood, Gia (5 December 2015). "Behnaz Babazadeh: The Bitter Sweetness of Reinventing Burqas". Of Note Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
7. Sotire, Timi (1 December 2019). "Afghan-American Artist Behnaz Babazadeh Evokes New Ways Of Viewing The Burka". Reform the Funk. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2021.

External links

• Official website
• The Edible Burqa: Challenging stereotypes with candy | TEDxMidAtlantic