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In this episode of This Being Human, Abdul-Rehman Malik sits down with Aanchal Malhotra, author and oral historian, to explore the emotional legacies of the partition of India and Pakistan. Aanchal shares personal stories, insights from her books "Remnants of Separation, In the Language of Remembering, and The Book of Everlasting Things, and reflects on the importance of documenting personal histories. Join us as we delve into the human side of history and its impact on our present and future. To learn more about Aanchal's work, you can check out aanchalmalhotra.com or museumofmaterialmemory.com. To fill out our listener survey, go to agakhanmuseum.org/tbhsurvey. If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of "This Being Human," we sit down with Deeyah Khan, an acclaimed filmmaker and activist renowned for her transformative documentaries. Deeyah shares her remarkable journey from being a music artist to becoming a powerful voice against extremism through film. Growing up as a Norwegian of Pakistani descent, she faced significant cultural and racial challenges that shaped her worldview and ignited her passion for storytelling. Deeyah recounts her transition from music to filmmaking, driven by a desire to address critical social issues and humanize those often seen as enemies. Deeyah delves into her profound experiences engaging with white supremacists and jihadis, offering an unfiltered look at the roots of their beliefs and the power of empathy. Her films, including encounters with former extremists, have not only shed light on the psychology of hate but have also sparked moments of transformation for her subjects. Through heartfelt dialogue and unwavering courage, Deeyah's work demonstrates the possibility of change and understanding even in the most polarized situations. Throughout the conversation, Deeyah reflects on the importance of empathy, love, and humanizing others as acts of defiance and resistance. She discusses the personal impact of her work, including how motherhood has deepened her commitment to creating a better world. This episode offers a powerful exploration of art as activism and the enduring hope that comes from seeing beyond hatred to our shared humanity. Join us as we uncover the stories behind Deeyah Khan's impactful films and her unwavering belief in the transformative power of empathy. To learn more, visit deeyah.com To fill out our listener survey, go to agakhanmuseum.org/tbhsurvey. If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of This Being Human we sit down with dina Amin, an innovative stop motion artist from Cairo, Egypt. dina shares her unique journey from studying Industrial Design in Malaysia to creating her acclaimed Instagram series, 'Tinker Friday.' Through 'Tinker Friday,' she combines her design expertise with animation to reveal the hidden intricacies of everyday objects, shedding light on consumerism in a captivating and educational way. We delve into the foundation of dina's Tinker Studio, where she produces imaginative stop motion videos for a diverse range of clients, including Vice TV and Sony Alpha. dina discusses the creative process behind her work, how she has overcome challenges, and the satisfaction of bringing discarded items to life through storytelling. Her multidisciplinary approach, blending product design with animation, offers a fresh perspective on art and cultural commentary. Throughout the conversation, dina reflects on how her cultural background influences her work and shares valuable advice for aspiring artists. Join us for an insightful discussion that unveils the magic of stop motion and the power of reimagining the ordinary. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we delve into the artistic universe of Refik Anadol, a Turkish-American new media artist renowned for his innovative use of data-driven machine learning algorithms in art. From his early days in Istanbul to his advanced studies and creative endeavors in Los Angeles, we explore the formative experiences that shaped his pioneering approach to digital art. Refik discusses his groundbreaking projects like "Machine Hallucination" and "Virtual Depictions," revealing how he transforms abstract data into immersive, sensory experiences that challenge traditional notions of art and space. The episode also highlights his cultural collaborations and the impact of his work on global art narratives, all while contemplating the evolving role of artists in our technology-driven world. Join us as we journey through Refik Anadol's vision, where data not only informs but also inspires the future of artistic expression. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of This Being Human, we speak with Alia Syed, a British experimental filmmaker whose work has been shown all around the art world for the last 25 years. Born in 1964 in Swansea to a Welsh mother and Indian father, Alia uses her film cameras to meditate on issues of subjectivity and narrative, identity and memory. Her films have been shown at numerous institutions around the world including BBC Arts Online, the Museum of Modern Art, New York ; Museo National Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid ; XV Sydney Biennale ; Tate Modern, as well as several solo exhibitions at the Talwar Gallery in New York and New Delhi. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saks Afridi is an artist who refers to his work as ,scfi-fi sufism., His pieces include prayer rugs depicting UFOs, visual art that blends images of circuitry with classic Islamic design, and an extensive, multi-disciplinary project based on a mythological world that he calls Space Mosque. Saks talks about blending the spiritual with the speculative, why the idea of prayer factors into so much of his work, and how his day job in advertising informs his art practice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of This Being Human we delve deep into the profound significance of poetry in modernity through the lens of renowned poet and artist, Amir Sulaiman. Hailing from Rochester, New York, Amir's poetic journey has traversed continents, resonating with audiences globally. From his exploration of existential inquiries to the unraveling of universal themes such as love, spirituality, and human connection, Amir's verse serves as a sacred mirror reflecting the complexities of the human soul. Traversing continents with Amir's poetic resonance and universal appeal, we explore how poetry serves as a bridge, transcending cultural boundaries and uniting hearts across the expanse of our shared humanity, and how personally it's led him to collaborate with other celebrated artists like Ramy Youssef, Dave Chappelle, and Robert Glasper. As we contemplate the future of poetry in the digital age, Amir envisions its continued relevance as a guiding light amidst the complexities of modern life, serving as a compass for the human spirit amidst the noise and chaos of contemporary society. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiran Ahluwalia is a true innovator-her songs blend the music of India with influences from Mali and western blues, rock, R&B and jazz to create a sound unlike any other artist. Over the last two decades, Kiran has studied under masters of classical Indian music and collaborated with iconic North African artists, most notably the iconic desert blues group Tinariwen. On this episode, she talks about her new single, Pancake, her decision to leave her career in Canada to study music in India, and her family's experience of the partition of India. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jude Chehab is a young filmmaker whose first feature film, Q, has cemented her in lists of best new directors to watch. Q is a beautifully shot and intimate portrait of Jude's mother's relationship to an all-female religious group in Lebanon. It has won multiple awards, including at the Tribeca Film Festival, and is being lauded for being a genre-breaking documentary film. She tells us how she learned to weave a story that retains some level of mystery, but is grounded in humanity—as she learned from one of her teachers in film, the legendary Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.You can learn more about Jude's work at www.judechehab.com.To fill out our listener survey, go to agakhanmuseum.org/tbhsurvey.If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new season of This Being Human is almost here! We'll be back soon with more fascinating conversations with amazing people whose lives, ideas, and art have been shaped by Muslim culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Haroon Siddiqui has had many titles. Reporter, columnist, editor... the list goes on. He can now add author to his resume with the release of his memoir "My Name is Not Harry". It's a profound reflection on his career, Canadian values, his immigrant superpowers and the role he believes luck, or perhaps divine destiny, has played in his incredible life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sandra Saenz joins us to talk about the art of makeup, navigating the world of beauty as a Mexican Muslim, and her first video art exhibition. She is the first Mexican hijabi makeup artist to secure agency representation in the USA. Her work has been featured in magazines and advertisements worldwide for Sephora. She's currently a Global Brand Ambassador for KVD Beauty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photographer Hassan Hajjaj has an iconic style that blends elements of pop art, hip hop culture and North African fashion. It spans series like Kesh Angels, which depicts biker women in Marakesh, as well as celebrity photoshoots and album art. He joins AR to talk about developing his unique style, his initial reluctance to call himself an artist, and how he's seen the photography world change for the next generation.    See more of Hassan Hajjaj's work here: https://www.193gallery.com/artists/84-hassan-hajjaj/overview/   Or on his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/hassanhajjaj_larache/?hl=en   If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman   The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky explores the connections between history and myth. His work includes installations and sculpture, as well as films like Cabaret Crusades and I Am Hymns of the New Temple, which use marionettes to revisit big moments in history from a new perspective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shezad Dawood is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends stories, reality and symbolism to engage with big questions about humanity, and explore alternative futures. He speaks to AR about his latest project, Night in the Garden of Love, an immersive experience that uses virtual reality to bring visitors into a fantastical world. It's based on a science fiction novella of the same name by the late musician and polymath Yusef Lateef. Shezad talks about Lateef's unique view of the world, collaborating with an artist who he never met, and his own lifelong discomfort with choosing an artistic medium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marina Tabassum is a Bangladeshi architect whose work includes Bangladesh's underground Museum of Independence and the award-winning Bait Ur Rouf mosque. She talks about working with local materials, the rich landscape of Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka, and how architects should embrace social responsibility, as with her $200 houses for displaced Bangladeshis. Marina Tabassum is the founder of Marina Tabassum Architects and the academic director of the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements. This episode originally aired in November, 2021. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kameelah Janan Rasheed is an artist whose work focuses on Black knowledge production, re-shaping history, and unlearning the things we think we know. Her projects, spanning photography, installations, text, sound, and more, have been shown around the globe and earned her a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship. She joins us to talk about resisting easy definitions, finding new ways to think about the marks that we leave on the world, and her lifelong engagement with emerging technologies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ausma Malik was the first woman in a hijab to be elected to public office in Canada, and the first Muslim-identifying, hijab-wearing woman on Toronto city council. She was recently appointed Deputy Mayor of Toronto. She also happens to be the sister of This Being Human host Abdul-Rehman Malik. In this episode, A.R. asks Ausma the questions only a brother can ask. She talks about some of the pivotal moments that sent her down her current path, her reluctant entrance to politics, and how family and art shaped her values. The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Pakistan's first female architect, Yasmeen Lari left a major imprint on the country's visual identity, with modern buildings like the Finance and Trade Centre, the Taj Mahal Hotel in Karachi, and the Pakistan State Oil Head Office. But her career later took a turn from working for the powerful few, towards assisting the most vulnerable members of society. She now focuses on the intersection of architecture, environmental activism and social justice, working to build sustainable structures for displaced people and helping to set up self-sufficient economies. She calls her approach Barefoot Social Architecture. The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a time in history when the entire world's coffee supply came from Yemen. But the industry went through a major decline, so that by 2013, when Yemeni-American Mokhtar Alkhanshali became obsessed with coffee, coffee from Yemen was hard to come across. Mokhtar spent three years in Yemen learning everything he could and started the company Port of Mokha to help revitalize the industry. These days, Yemeni coffee is coveted by connoisseurs, who pay top dollar for it. Mokhtar's life and journey was immortalized in the Dave Eggers book The Monk of Mokha. He talks to AR about this journey, which continues ten years on. The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.