The In-Between World of Faisa Omer
By
Dan Rubinstein
Photo Credit:
Terence Ho
After completing her master鈥檚 degree in neuroscience at 杏吧原创 University, Faisa Omer enrolled in a college photography program in Ottawa without telling her parents.
It was a bold decision. As a first-generation Somali-Canadian and the oldest of seven children, she was expected to get a good job to help her family move out of their crowded social housing unit.
But Omer loved photography and after seven consecutive years of intense studying, including an undergraduate degree in neuroscience, she wanted to do something for herself.
Her parents found out and when she explained to her father that 鈥渓earning how to take pictures鈥 made her happy, he didn鈥檛 understand. Emigrating to Canada for new opportunities and to escape conflict in Somalia, he was focused on survival.
Omer鈥檚 father applied for jobs on her behalf, landing an interview for a position as a mental health counsellor for at-risk Somali youth in Edmonton. Even though she tried to sabotage the process, she was offered the job.
鈥淚 had to make a choice,鈥 she recalls, 鈥渁nd I did what my parents wanted. Somali culture is collectivist. It was my responsibility to help support our family.鈥
But before leaving Ottawa, Omer went to a beach close to home and walked out onto a jetty overlooking the water. She prayed and asked if photography could come back to her life in a different way.
Eight years later, Omer鈥檚 first solo art exhibition, an exploration of Somali identity across memory, place and generations, has opened at the (CUAG).
Now working as a counsellor for racialized students who live in residence at 杏吧原创, Omer has never stopped taking pictures.
鈥淎rt is my self-care,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a safe haven in which I can be myself and express myself.鈥
The Complexity of Diasporic Life
鈥淭hreading Roots,鈥 which includes family photos, studio portraits, textiles, paintings and poetry, extends across the upper floor of CUAG.
Curated by Reyhab Mohmed Patel, a PhD student in sociology at 杏吧原创, the exhibition challenges 鈥渄ominant representations of Somali identity while affirming the richness and complexity of diasporic life.鈥
The opening space features an intricate tapestry made by one of Omer鈥檚 sisters and a striking portrait of one of her friends, while the second bay is set up like a Somali living room with a traditional couch, pictures of her parents鈥 families, pictures of Omer and her siblings growing up, pictures Omer took during three trips to Somalia and objects that hold meaning for her family.
A series of large-scale portraits are displayed in the third and fourth bays. In the former, most of the photos are of Black youth who have encountered systemic racism, including several from Omer鈥檚 project. The tone gradually shifts from dark to colourful if one looks at the portraits in sequence.
鈥淚 call this 鈥榯he struggle,鈥欌 says Omer. 鈥淭his is where the healing starts to happen.鈥
The final bay, a series of portraits hung atop traditional fabrics and modern fashions, showcases Black beauty, specifically Somali beauty.
鈥淕enerally, the idea of this exhibition is Maslow鈥檚 hierarchy of needs,鈥 says Omer, 鈥渟tarting with survival and getting to self-actualization at the end. It can also help people understand the in-between world of the Somali diaspora and what it means for us to be Canadian as well.鈥
Puzzling Together the Pieces of Her Life
Since first picking up a disposable camera in grade seven, Omer has been using art and education to figure out how the pieces of her life fit together.
Those trips to visit relatives in Somalia showed her how steeped in traditional culture her family is despite living thousands of kilometres away.
Her master鈥檚 research looked into which parts of the brain people use to memorize texts such as the Qur鈥檃n in a language they don鈥檛 speak.
Her work as a mental health counsellor provides insights into the experiences of racialized young people that inform her art, which has been shown at the Ottawa Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Alberta, among other locations.
The launch party for 鈥淭hreading Roots鈥 and by n膿hiyaw鈥(Plains Cree) artist Joi T. Arcand, took place on Oct. 4. Omer鈥檚 parents and several of her siblings were there.
“I would say they’ve reached their own self-actualization,” Omer says about her parents. “Between their kids, there are like five university degrees and six college diplomas. So, they’re really proud.
鈥淢y success is due to them,鈥 she continues. 鈥淲hen I look back and think about my dad applying for jobs online for me, I wouldn鈥檛 change a thing because my prayer was answered. Now I live in both worlds.鈥
