Houria Niati

Houria Niati (born 1948 in Khemis Miliana, Algeria) is an Algerian, contemporary artist living in London.[1][2] Niati specializes in mixed media installations that criticize Western representations and objectification of north African and Middle Eastern women.[3] Her installations notably have live performances most commonly traditional Algerian music such as Raï, as a key visual representation of Niati's homeland and culture.[1] Salah M. Hassan further details her performances, "She uses synthesizers, sound recordings, and special light effects to create a theatrical atmosphere and a vibrant magical environment of sound, body movement, and color."[4] The installations and exhibitions join together paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos, soundtracks, and performances.[1]

Early life and career

Niati grew up in French-occupied Algeria, where over one million Algerians were killed for resisting occupation.[1] When Niati was twelve years old, she demonstrated against French colonialism with her anti-colonial graffiti, which landed her in jail.[1] Niati's experiences with the French occupation and eventual revolution of her people greatly influenced her art later in life.[1]

Niati moved to London in the late 1970s, where she observed Western art that depicted Algerian people, especially women, in a fictionalized and exotic way.[1] This influenced her own depictions of post-colonial cultures, nations, and people.[1] She attended Camden Arts Centre and Croydon College of Art[5], and later went on to get an MA in Fine Arts at Middlesex University. [6]

Selected exhibitions

Selected bibliography

Niati, Houria (1999). "Diverse Bodies of Experiences". In Lloyd, Fran (ed). Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the Present. WAL Women's Art Library. ISBN 9781902770000.

References
  1. Fairchild Ruggles, D. (2006). Women, Patronage, and Self-Representation in Islamic Societies. Albany: SUNY Press. p. 243. ISBN 0791493075. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  2. Hassan, Salah M (1997). Gendered Visions: The Art of Contemporary Africana Women Artists. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, Inc. p. 9.
  3. De Weever, Jacqueline (Spring 2004). "Review: Women, Patronage, and Self-Representation in Islamic Societies by D. FAIRCHILD RUGGLES". Arthuriana. 14 (1): 114–116. doi:10.1353/art.2004.0029. JSTOR 27870591.
  4. Hassan, Salah M. (1997). Gendered Visions. Africa World Press, Inc. p. 103. ISBN 0-86543-619-3.
  5. Hassan, Salah M. (26 January 2013). "The Installations of Houria Niati". Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art. 3 (1): 50–55. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  6. "Houria Niati - MA Fine Arts". hourianiati.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  7. Highet, Juliet (16 September 2013). "Houria Niati: Identity Search". Asharq Al Awsat. Retrieved 7 March 2015.


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