The Free

Katherine Shehadeh

When we think about the United States being the “land of the free”, as it’s referred to in the National Anthem, much of the focus is on the land (or country) part of that statement as an evocation of patriotic sentiment. Rarely do we reflect on who exactly “the free” are (and what they are free to do). With “the free” I wanted the viewer to challenge their own biases on what it means to be free, particularly as we are seeing the hijab debate gain relevance again with the mass protests in Iran. While some critics rightly argue against compulsory hijab laws as restrictive and oppressive, many of the same critics are silent when it comes to hijab (and burkini) bans that we are seeing spread in the West, i.e., in France and Canada. The latter group fails to recognize that any restriction imposed on women’s freedom of expression and religion reflects the same form of oppression and is deserving of the same outrage.

About the Artist

Katherine Shehadeh is an artist and writer, who resides with her family in Miami, Florida. Her artwork has appeared in juried exhibitions across the United States, including the North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival, and was a finalist for the 2022 International Human Rights Arts Festival Art of Unity Creative Award. She can be found online at katherinesarts.com or on Twitter @your_mominlaw.