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X-WR-CALNAME:Return to Sender: Women of Color in Colonial Postcards & the P
 olitics of Representation
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Eastern Time (US & Canada)
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DTSTAMP:20260716T134924Z
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DTSTART:20250124T000000Z
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DESCRIPTION:**Please note that after registering\, you will receive two sep
 arate emails: one with your registration confirmation\, and another with t
 he Zoom link for the presenter’s session. *Be sure to check your spam fo
 lder!\n\n———\n\nReturn to Sender: Women of Color in Colonial Postcar
 ds & the Politics of Representation\n\nMara Ahmed’s Return to Sender: Wo
 men of Color in Colonial Postcards & the Politics of Representation (2023)
  is a short\, experimental film that pushes the documentary medium in unex
 pected ways. It opens with three contemporary South Asian American women w
 ho recreate British colonial postcards from the early 20th century. Dresse
 d in lavish traditional attire and jewelry and shot exquisitely in a darke
 ned studio\, the women emulate the awkward poses of the postcard women\, o
 nly to subvert the colonial male gaze and acquire autonomy by choosing an 
 action of their own. This symbolic ‘returning’ of the Orientalist gaze
  is layered with discussions about Eurocentric beauty standards\, represen
 tations of South Asian women in media and culture\, stereotypes\, othering
 \, identity and belonging. The film hopes to create community by facilitat
 ing conversations about erasure and the politics of representation. A shor
 t PowerPoint presentation will be made by Mara prior to the screening to n
 ame and explore some of the themes discussed in the documentary and allow 
 for a richer viewing. The presentation will end with a group discussion in
  which people will try to figure out what a decolonial feminist lens can m
 ean. \n\n \n\nMara Ahmed\n\nMara Ahmed was educated in Belgium\, Pakistan 
 and the United States and holds an MBA and a Master’s in Economics. She 
 studied art at Nazareth College and film at the Visual Studies Workshop an
 d the Rochester Institute of Technology. She produces documentaries\, soun
 dscapes\, and artwork that challenge borders and colonial logics. Her film
 s have been broadcast on PBS and screened at international film festivals.
  Her 2015 film\, A Thin Wall\, won a special jury prize at the 2018 Amster
 dam Film Festival. Return to Sender received a 2023 New York State Council
  on the Arts Film Grant and was showcased along with its companion art exh
 ibition (including photography and collage work in conversation with the f
 ilm) at the Huntington Historical Society’s History and Decorative Arts 
 Museum. The artist lives and works on Long Island\, New York. More info at
  maraahmedstudio.com.\n\n \n\n--------------------------------------------
 ----------\n\nRisk Waiver & Photo Release\n\nBy participating in the ARTs 
 + Change Virtual Conference\, I acknowledge and assume responsibility for 
 any inherent risks\, including but not limited to technical issues (e.g.\,
  internet disruptions\, data loss)\, privacy concerns (e.g.\, unauthorized
  sharing or recording)\, or physical injury (e.g.\, from movement-based wo
 rkshops). I understand that the University of Rochester and its representa
 tives are not liable unless due to gross negligence or willful misconduct.
  My participation is voluntary.\n\nAdditionally\, I consent to the use of 
 my image or name if my camera is on during the virtual event. If I prefer 
 not to be included in archived footage\, I may turn off my camera or use a
 n alternate display name.
LOCATION:
SUMMARY:Return to Sender: Women of Color in Colonial Postcards & the Politi
 cs of Representation
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.rochester.edu/event/return-to-sender-women-of-
 color-in-colonial-postcards-the-politics-of-representation
CATEGORIES:Conferences & Symposia
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