Faulwell's monogoraph ASAD FAULWELL: Les Femmes d'Alger has been released, and is available for purchase through Zero+ Publishing. The monograph features essays by Art Critic and Curator David Pagel and Independent Curator and Editor Franklin Sirmans as well as an interview with Guggenheim UBS Map Curator, Middle East and North Africa Sara Raza.
The 72-page illustrated tome surveys Faulwell ongoing series Les Femmes D'Alger, a body of work that examines issues of colonization, faith, power and gender relations within the political history of the post-colonial Middle East. His series of small and large-scale mixed media paintings is focused on specific Algerian female freedom fighters who actively engaged in combat during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62). Djamila Bouhired, Zohra Drif, Hassiba Ben Bouali, Ourida Meddad, and Danielle Minne are a few of the many women that Faulwell studied and highlighted through his paintings.
"These women were all either killed in battle or captured by the French and subjected to imprisonment and torture. After Algerian Independence was gained these women were pardoned by Charles De Gaulle and returned to Algeria. Upon returning to day-to-day life many of them became social outcasts, considered an oddity and an affront to conservative Islamic teachings.Some of them moved to France while others stayed in Algeria and fought for women’s rights," the artist explains.
Through his paintings, Faulwell attempts to commemorate these largely unsung figures, shedding light on this moment in history and its connection to the socio-political status of the current Middle East and North Africa.
