How Does One Say Queen in Islam? (2020), made specially for the Bangkok Art Biennale, Naqvi has constructed a new, personalised version of Islamic history, using words only uttered by women. Here, traditional forms of story-telling melt with tales and songs from their childhood in a dream landscape where female leaders, warriors, singers and revolutionaries jostle with the symbolic presence of their mother and grandmother.
On an embroidered quilt, on masks, and in a filmed performance that uses both, Naqvi invokes such diverse heroes as Queen Arawelo - the mythical leader of the Somali people, Razia Sultana - the 13th Century ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, Sayyida Al Hurra - the 16th century ‘pirate’ Queen of Tétouan , Umm Kulthum – the glittering Egyptian chanteuse and film star, Fatima al-Fihri – the 9th century founder of the world’s first university in Fez, Asiya bint Muzahim – the adoptive mother of Moses in the Islamic tradition, the Queen of Sheba – the fabled ruler of Egypt, Ethiopia and what is now Yemen, and Khawlah bint al-Azwar – a legendary Muslim warrior at the time of Muhammad.
Together, with memories of their family and friends, in the shades of these eminent women they surrealistically celebrate liberation, affirmation, joy and hope.