‘Tunisian women of the book’. Encounters with remarkable women
Photo-portrait and oral history exhibition which runs from 21st November to 5th December 2014
This exhibition by Dr Dora Carpenter-Latiri (university of Brighton) consists of interviews and photo-portraits of 15 women writers, academics, editors and artists, 15 who have contributed to the production of books and who all have a strong connection with Tunisia. Some were born in Tunisia, some chose to live in Tunisia, and some simply chose a Tunisian identity for themselves.
For this project the women are called ‘Tunisian Women of the Book’, by analogy with the Arab-Islamic expression ‘People of the Book’ that refers generically to the three revealed religions.
Using oral history methodology, the project sheds light on their individual experiences and on the practicalities of time, space and visibility, either in Tunisia or in migration, with a comparison between the era of dictatorship/censorship and the post-Revolution struggle for freedom of expression and gender equality. The project examines research questions about the journey of women writers and many of the answers are transferrable to other art forms in Tunisia or elsewhere.
This research project won funding from the University of Brighton sabbatical scheme and is leading to exhibitions and talks (Toronto @ NeMla conference https://nemla.org/convention/2015/cfp.html ; Marseille @ Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations for the year of Algeria and Tunisia in 2015). I am currently also finalising a monograph.
Exhibition, Grand Parade Cafe, University of Brighton
21st November to 5th December 2014