News

On Thursday, 25th of September, the UK media reported that the London Barbican Centre was forced to close down a performance art piece, entitled "Exhibit B" that it planned to host in September. The exhibition consisted of the construction of a ''Human zoo' featuring black actors in chains and cages but was shut down due to anti-racism protestors. The white South African artist Brett Bailey, who made the exhibit, claimed that he wanted to bring to focus the slavery of Africans that existed under Western colonial rule of the continent through replicating the "human zoos" that existed in the 19th and 20th centuries and that were used as a form of entertainment for Europeans. However, despite the exhibition itself being described as racist by many in the Black community in the UK due to its objectification of blacks, and in spite of an online petition signed by 23,000 people demanding the termination of the piece, the art centre insisted on hosting the exhibition, until they were forced to close down due to the protests and overwhelming outrage the exhibit incited.

Comment

This story raises a number of points. Firstly, it's an indictment on the liberal, secular society that individuals feel that they have to objectify and degrade people by reconstructing 'human zoos' in order to educate the public about the evils of slavery under Western colonial rule. Since when did education and discussion become redundant tools to achieve this objective? It is also extremely worrying that those who are staunch advocates of the liberal value of freedom of expression cannot recognise that the replication of a human zoo for public entertainment is also a replica of the purpose for which these despicable constructions were made by Western colonialists in the first place in past centuries!

Secondly, once again, under the banner of the liberal value of freedom of expression, liberal extremists feel that it is acceptable to host an offensive exhibit in the name of art and liberty, despite the fact that significant numbers have described it to be repugnant and racist. It highlights again that liberalism's philosophy of 'the right to offend and insult' for the sake of freedom of expression that is also often used as the premise to justify insults against the Qur'an, the Prophet (saw), and Islam, is itself an offensive and divisive idea that is in no way able to achieve a civilized and harmonious society where all feel equally respected.

Thirdly, if the London art centre, Brett Bailey and their supporters really want to shed light on the evils of colonial slavery, they just need to highlight what is happening in Africa and Asia today under global capitalism, where local populations continue to be exploited by Western corporations - corporations which employ them for miserly wages and force them to work long hours, often in dangerous environments. They just need to highlight the actions of the Western secular governments in these continents, which continue to plunder the land of the people of these regions and impose dictatorships upon them for their own economic and political selfish interests, as well as use the native populations from these lands to fight wars on the behalf of Western powers.

Fourthly, if Brett Bailey really wants to construct an exhibit that reminds people of slavery, perhaps he should chain the current rulers and regimes of the Muslim world within a cage branded with the label - 'Made in the US'. This would be an action I'm sure that would be most welcome by Muslims globally.

Finally, it is Islam alone that liberates individuals from slavery to men and man-made systems to slavery to the Creator (swt). It is His System and Laws alone that can break the chains of modern-day slavery through treating human beings like human beings rather than money-making objects, without the need to reconstruct offensive, racist models of slavery of the past. When nations came under the fold of Islam they prospered, and were treated with respect and justice, explaining why whole nations embraced Islam under its rule and think back fondly about their history under Islamic governance.

In contrast, nations still view with hatred their times under Western secular colonial rule that fills their minds with images of slavery, exploitation, bloodshed and oppression. So, if you ask the Muslim world therefore which system - secular or Islamic - they would prefer to return to their lands in the 21st century and that they believe would break the shackles of modern-day slavery and establish prosperity and dignity for ordinary citizens - the answer is obvious!

((الَر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيد))

"Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby you may bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise." [Ibrahim: 1]

Written for The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Dr. Nazreen Nawaz
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir