Shady El Noshokaty: A Stammering Response to Orientalism (2008)

Undergraduate: Heather Hall

Faculty Advisor: Carol Magee
Department: Art

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In this paper, I examine Egyptian artist Shady El Noshokaty’s installation piece Stammer (2007) as it comments on both Orientalism and Occidentalism. From my research and visual analysis, I explain that this piece exemplifies the humbling effect of cultural stereotyping. I first demonstrate how Noshokaty’s choices including installation as a medium, making the exhibit interactive, and the daily changes of the exhibit are important for conveying meaning. My paper shifts from these decisions to the subject matter itself. I focus on three elements within the installation: a cityscape, an interactive light projection of an Arab face, and a clay-headed figure. Through these three elements I explain Noshokaty’s commentary on cultural stereotypes and how an individual is implicated in these larger social constructions.