Halal Metropolis

Co-Curator of the Halal Metropolis exhibition series: explores the facts, fictions and imaginaries of the Muslim population(s) in Detroit& Southeast Michigan as viewed through historical/archival research, documentation of current conditions, and explorations of current and future desires. The Halal Metropolis alludes to the established and growing Muslim population in Detroit and its metro area, one of the largest and most diverse Muslim populations in the US, whose visibility is both pronounced and extremely present in the city, yet whose narrative seems unusually silent in the larger Detroit story. The accompanying series of exhibitions, includes archival images and documents documentary photography, and work from numerous regional Muslim artists, move beyond wanting to simply illustrate or document the current state of this halal metropolis into exploring the congruent and contradicting ideas, aesthetics, and cultures working to make the halal metropolis both a real and imaginary entity. The exhibition is accompanied by a robust series of public programming centered around the different artistic, aesthetic, and cultural practices that make Muslimsvisible in Detroit. These Community Conversations will take many forms, including cultural events, workshops, performances, food & hospitality events, demonstrations, etc., all designed to engage audiences and challenge assumptions. The project is a collaboration between Historian Sally Howell, and Photographer Razi Jafri, and others.