Orientalism and The Humanization of Arabs

Throughout Western art history and contemporary media, the depictions of Arabs and muslims are often distorted. These depictions are rooted in Orientalism. Edward Said, author of the book Orientalism and Palestinian-American academic, describes Orientalism as a body of knowledge and representation that imagines the “Orient” as exotic, backward, threatening, and in contrast to an idealized West. This thesis is both a creative project and an analysis of how art can highlight and subvert orientalist portrayals, humanizing arabs. How can the very art used to dehumanize arabs throughout history be utilized to restore humanity in arabs?