The Image of Somalia broadcast globally is often one of war, famine, drought, violence and forced displacement of it’s people. Rarely in the media and the arts do we see the diverse experiences and representations of Somali life and culture. One young Australian Somali woman, Nadia Faragaab is active in encouraging people to go beyond the negative images of Somalia which dominate the global media. She created an art exhibition entitled Kronologies, to address the profound lack of representations of Somalis globally and used it as a space to express the many facets of her culture and identity.
Kronologies, which premiered in Australia late 2011 has since resonated with Somalis around the world through it’s presence on youtube and facebook. The themes of the exhibition echoed with young Somalis so much so that they have invited Nadia to display the exhibition internationally in the UK and Europe. It is through social media and community forums that the ideas and experiences of Kronologies are continuing to to be discussed and debated in the Somali diaspora living in North America, Australia, Africa and Europe.
Credit: Nadia Faragaab