ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM: Exhibition

DUKE ARTS and MIPSTERZ
In collaboration with the Duke Islamic Studies Center

are proud to present the world premiere of

ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM: Exhibition

August 16th – September 18th, 2022

Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University

2020 Campus Drive, Durham, NC 27705

“ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM” is an evolving experiential art exhibition and digital archive created by MIPSTERZ that explores Muslim Futurism—a cultural and artistic aesthetic that learns from frameworks of Afrofuturism and imagines a broader Muslim future free from the oppression of today, set in a utopic tomorrow of our collective creation.

In this groundbreaking exhibition, MIPSTERZ has organized Muslim Futurism into five themes: imagination, resistance, liberation, community, and identity. Through this lens, MIPSTERZ envisions a future where we all people are free to create a world that is bold, radical, and uniquely their own. Patrons can expect:

• MIPSTERZ-curated artwork depicting “imagined worlds, abstract reflections on diverse Muslim futures, connections between Afrofuturism and Black Muslim experiences, Palestinian and indigenous resistance and liberation expressions, poetic calls to action, and much more.” Represented media formats include large-scale textile, paintings, collages, experimental film, gaming, and an immersive installation.
• Original artwork and installations from the MIPSTERZ collective, featuring contributions from over 30 Muslim & Muslim-adjacent/ally artists worldwide. Works are connected to the five themes of Muslim Futurism.
• A series of public programs including:
  • Wednesday, September 7: Wednesdays at the Center virtual artist conversation from 12-1pm, sponsored by the Duke University Center for International Studies and Duke Islamic Studies Center.
  • Friday, September 9: A special edition of the MIPSTERZ “Spotlight Series” pop-up event at NorthStar Church of the Arts. “TED Talk meets house party” – MIPSTERZ has hosted over 60 Spotlight Series events spotlighting local talent, artists, academics, singers, activists, and folks who fit many of those labels at once.
  • Saturday, September 10th:
    • Panel discussions featuring local academic experts on related themes and disciplines at the Rubenstein Arts Center Lounge
    •  Film screening of “Building Bridges: Muslims in America,” “Wish Hill,” and “ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM,” an official selection at the Atlanta Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival. Screenings will be followed by a Q&A with Directors Saleem Reshamwala, Aleah Marrow, and Abbas Rattani at the Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theater.
    • Closing reception for the exhibition that will bring together artists, musicians, filmmakers, and academics at the Rubenstein Arts Center

After making its world premiere at the Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University, MIPSTERZ will present “ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM” at the Center for Afrofuturist Studies in Iowa City, IA (Spring 2023); the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO (Fall 2023); and Twelve Gates Arts in Philadelphia, PA (Fall 2024).

The “ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM” exhibition is made possible by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art’s Building Bridges Program. The mission of the Building Bridges Program is to advance relationships and increase understanding between Muslims and their neighbors for mutual well-being. Additional support is provided by Duke Arts, Rubenstein Center for the Arts at Duke University, the Duke Islamic Studies Center, the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, and Colorado College.