When I moved to India, the assumptions I held true as a young French-American male were challenged. Growing up in San Francisco, I had always seen myself as a liberal, open minded, and accepting individual. Being plunged into an entirely new environment helped me become aware of embedded cultural realities that manifest themselves in my daily actions. One specific element upon which I was able to broaden by critical consciousness is the Muslim veil.

On the bus ride to school in Bangalore, I would see women draped in black fabric from head to toe. The adjectives that would surface in my mind were oppressed, limited, and pitiful. On the other hand, I was intrigued. There was something striking about these women, only their eyed in clear view, a hint of color amidst their dark garments. I would also find it beautiful when a gust of wind would tighten the fabric to reveal the hidden woman's curves. Upon doing more research and after getting to know a few women who choose to veil themselves, I understood that the veil is not necessarily imposed but a conscious decision synonymous with empowerment. The way a woman chooses to present herself in the public eye is a personal decision. It is just this debate that I attempted to present in my dance piece for The Artery Project called Veiled Expressions.

In the current political climate, unfortunate misconceptions about Muslim populations across the globe are a harsh reality. These manifest themselves in discrimination, oppression, and even violent acts. In the piece, a young woman is in her room rummaging through a pile of fabrics and headscarf's deciding whether or not she wishes to cover herself. This intersection between the public and the private takes the audience into a new realm bringing attention to the multi layered relationship between a woman, her body, and the veil.