Generations

<p>Although the recorded history of Muslim-identified communities in Canada begins in 1854, historical depictions have denigrated the narratives and histories of these communities in the Canadian imagination while allowing stereotypes to reign supreme. Through repurposing and reconfiguring the systems of representation and spaces of display that historically enabled this misrepresentation and erasure, <em>Generations </em>aims to assert the existence of Muslim-identified individuals in Canadian society, culture and memory. Through a series of multigenerational group portraits of female members of Muslim families across Canada, as well as written material that engages with their past and present, the project offers a photographic archive where our histories, diverse experiences, and complex narratives are included in a lasting record. In this support paper, I contextualize the historical and contemporary experiences and representations of Muslims in Canada and demonstrate the need for community members to produce counter-representations, which reclaim citizenship and reassert belonging. </p>