Qais Assali

Turath aw Hadara

Jose Luis Benavides, Qais Assali

"From archives to community building, this video engages U.S. histories of racialization and objectification through and documentation of discussions and participation with the Arab/Muslim community of Dearborn and Detroit, Michigan. As a video-collaboration between Qais Assali and Jose Luis Benavides created for the exhibit “Costume Party at the Moslem Temple” at MSU Union Gallery (2019) this work culls various collections, original footage and conversations with an ex-Playboy Bunny and community activist as well, to chart the often overlooked history of orientalism, Islamophobia and minstrel brown-facing, or Arab-facing inherent though invisible to our discussions of American racism in order to question the limits of our awareness and our true understanding of culture and civilization."