Belonging
“…themes of deafness and migration told through music and visual arts”
Textile works by Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings at the Fabrica Gallery, Brighton
Ruth Montgomery handed over instructions to British-Syrian pianist and composer Waseem Kotoub to write a further piece on the theme of migration and deafness.
As an ensemble piece, the whole work is based on based on the incredibly talented deaf textile artist Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings’ background, geographic locations, significant events & key influences. For example – the Ethiopian nanny provided the family with routine and security, growing up by the River Nile, family, embracing Sudanese and Ethiopian music, becoming deaf at the age of 4 through meningitis, moving to UK for education and discovering Deaf identity and culture.
Between Waseem and Omeima, they agreed that the main title ‘Belonging’ was appropriate for the overall music piece. ‘Belonging’ has three separate movements: Dusk, Torn and lastly – Blossom. All the works were visually presented - textiles by Omeima, live painting by Rachel Gadsden, creative sign language by Nadia Nadarajah. Film editor by Bim Ajadi.
This theme explores migration, had she not become deaf would she have remained in Sudan?
The captions in the film was written by the composer himself, Waseem as he developed a narrative/programmatic style of writing music. Rachel Gadsden develops a portrait of the very artist herself during the 10 minute live performance into the 3 movements shown at the end, here are the excerpts of each themes and movement.
1) First movement: Dusk
Surrounding music themes – Sudan/Ethiopia/Saudi Arabian influences
Omeima’s textile works features images and designs from Sudan which are then embellished with decorative motifs, calligraphy writing, and colourful symbols reflecting her Arabic heritage.
The first half of the work shows the river Nile, communicating with family members which are shown using symbols. Second half of the picture shows the deafness/illness she had at the age of four and audiograms from hospital appointments. Plus her father’s job meant that the family needed to move to Saudi Arabia.
2) Second movement: Torn
The transition from Sudan to UK.
While in Saudi Arabia, the different nanny there accidently placed a bowl of hot boiling water and it was poured all over her younger brother Ahmed who suffered from severe skin burns. This resulted his deafness too.
Mother decides that the family should return to Khartoum, Sudan. Ahmed was a very difficult toddler, hence the middle white lines showing bubbles of frustrations. Omeima felt she could understand that the frustrations were due to lack of communication.
The purple part was the sadness part for Omeima, deciding that she needs to move to England with her mother and Ahmed for specialist education. Her father stayed behind in Sudan. This was the reason for the title ‘Torn’.
3) Third movement: Blossom
Omeima’s creative works in UK.
Blossom Omeima faced a lot of cultural shifts – from being a Sudanese Arabic young woman to living in England, learning a new language, sign language at school, foods, and way of life.
However she embraced her deafness and made so many friends in the deaf world. She was particularly good with colours, textiles, screen printing and flourished during those years at college and began exhibiting textile works in various places around the world. She married a hearing British man and they have a daughter Lilly Nile. The colours represents her feeling settled and at home with her identity and artistic strength.
