Banat Al Fi'9a (The Silver Girls), 2022-2023
Created between late 2022 and early 2023, "Banat Al Fi'9a (The Silver Girls)" transports us to an imaginary world where two young women challenge the oppressive rule of the late Sultan Said bin Taimur and cultural norms of their time in 1960s Oman. The visual series captures the era referred to as the "dark ages," when modern developments and objects such as radios, bicycles, and sunglasses were banned.
The two protagonists embark on a surreal journey through the country, a time when travel itself was a challenge. Despite the obstacles, they move with grace and fierce determination, engaging in activities that transcend the conventional expectations for women of their era. Their artistic expressions are set free, and they chase their dreams with an intense passion that permeates the narrative with a dreamlike quality.
As the story unfolds, we are transported into a world where the traditional silver jewelry of Omani culture takes on new life. The silver is reimagined as a retro-futuristic material, coating the daily activities of the two women and symbolizing the liberation that women would come to experience in the future.
Created between late 2022 and early 2023, "Banat Al Fi'9a (The Silver Girls)" transports us to an imaginary world where two young women challenge the oppressive rule of the late Sultan Said bin Taimur and cultural norms of their time in 1960s Oman. The visual series captures the era referred to as the "dark ages," when modern developments and objects such as radios, bicycles, and sunglasses were banned.
The two protagonists embark on a surreal journey through the country, a time when travel itself was a challenge. Despite the obstacles, they move with grace and fierce determination, engaging in activities that transcend the conventional expectations for women of their era. Their artistic expressions are set free, and they chase their dreams with an intense passion that permeates the narrative with a dreamlike quality.
As the story unfolds, we are transported into a world where the traditional silver jewelry of Omani culture takes on new life. The silver is reimagined as a retro-futuristic material, coating the daily activities of the two women and symbolizing the liberation that women would come to experience in the future.
Eman Ali brings "Banat Al Fi'9a (The Silver Girls)" to life through a series of images created using early AI technology. The visible artifacts and imperfections in the work act as a timestamp, reflecting the capabilities of the AI tools at that particular moment in time. Banat Al Fi'9a (The Silver Girls) is a narrative that delves into themes of freedom and the resilience of the human spirit, as experienced through the eyes of two young Omani women who dare to dream.
Banat Al Fi'9a is a translation of ‘The Silver Girls’ into Arabizi/Arabish, a form of digital communication used in the Arab world where Latin letters and numbers are used in lieu of the Arabic alphabet.
Selected works available on Artsy.