Ann Arbor

Stamps Gallery, Stamps School of Art & Design
University of Michigan
May 28 - July 17, 2021

Halal Metrop­o­lis explores the facts, fic­tions, and imag­i­nar­ies of the Mus­lim population(s) in Detroit and South­east Michi­gan as viewed through his­tor­i­cal research, doc­u­men­ta­tion of cur­rent con­di­tions, and explo­rations of future desires. 

The Halal Metrop­o­lis alludes to the estab­lished and grow­ing Mus­lim pop­u­la­tion in Detroit and its metro area, one of the largest and most diverse Mus­lim pop­u­la­tions in the U.S., whose vis­i­bil­ity is both pro­nounced and extremely present in the city, yet whose nar­ra­tive seems unusu­ally silent in the larger Detroit story. 

Detroit began to take shape as a halal metropolis over a century ago when the first Muslim communities moved to the area for work in the booming auto industry. While Dearborn and Hamtramck are the most vibrant Muslim enclaves in the region today, there are over 100 mosques in the tri-county area representing communities with roots in the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the American South. 

The Halal Metropolis is one where Muslims practice their faith freely and contribute to society with all of their talents and commitments. It is created dialogically and requires Muslims to be visible to one another and to non-Muslims. It encourages Muslims to organize and speak as believers, citizens, and artists. Muslim artists reflect on how the region and their identities interact and shape their concerns and aesthetics.

The exhi­bi­tion blends archival mate­ri­als, social and polit­i­cal arti­facts, pho­tog­ra­phy, and art to explore the con­gru­ent and con­tra­dict­ing ideas, aes­thet­ics, and cul­tures work­ing to make the halal metrop­o­lis both a real and imag­i­nary entity.

Participating Artists:
Amna Asghar
Qais Assali
Nour Ballout
Adnan Charara
Kecia Escoe
Parisa Ghaderi
Anthony Keith Giannini
Razi Jafri
Osman Khan
Mary ‘BGIRL MAMA’ Mar
Maamoul Press
Endi Poskovic
Haleem ‘Stringz’ Rasool
Reem Taki

Special Thanks:
Liela Abbas and family, Asma Baban, Ronnie Berry and Sons Halal Meats, LuFuki Ismaeel Dhul-Qarnayn, Zarinah El-Amin, Mohamad Jaafar, Rahaf Khatib, Jeff Mallad, the Muslim Center of Detroit, Saad Wholesale Meats, Catherine Sareini, Shatila Bakery, and Sky Furniture.