The Mujahid Series is a body of double exposure photographs engineered to highlight the multiplicity of psychological states that the artist, Hakeem Adam faces in his quest to be expressive. The work employs bold pop-art inspired colors to create nebulous images that allude to the undefined yet vibrant natures of these emotions that shape the work of the artist. The work is directly inspired by the Islamic philosophy of Jihad which loosely translates as struggle. As such the artist, uses this Islamic perspective to reinterpret the struggle he faces and how braving the experience is the only outlet to freedom. As such, the person become a Mujahid, one engaged on Jihad and the photographs as his inner vision of the intimate and personal struggle he experiences.

 Despite coming from a pseudo-religious standpoint, the work reflects the contemporary nature of mental health by referencing popular culture like hip hop to make statement about mental health, especially among artists. By allowing the work to be autobiographical and personal, the artist allows viewers to bring their own experiences of anxiety and depression in reading the work and expanding the conversations around surviving mental, despite the unending tirade of socio-economic roadblocks one has to constantly overcome.

Hakeem Adam

June 2018.