Homelands and Histories: Photographs by Fazal Sheikh May 6–October 1, 2017
Fazal Sheikh, Abshiro Aden Mohammed, Women's Leader, Somali Refugee Camp, Dagahaley, Kenya, from the series A Camel for the Son, 2000, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Abdul Aziz, Holding a Photograph of His Brother, Mula Abdul Hakim, Afghan Refugee Village, Khairabad, North Pakistan, from the series The Victor Weeps, 1998, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Ajoh Achot and Achol Manyen, Sudanese Refugee Camp, Lokichoggio, Kenya, from the series A Sense of Common Ground, 1992, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Simran, New Delhi, India, from the series Ladli, 2007, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Rohullah, Afghan Refugee Village, Badabare, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan, from the series The Victor Weeps, 1997, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Bhajan Ashram at Dawn, Vrindavan, India, from the series Moksha, 2005, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Pramila Satar (“Lover”), Vrindavan, India, from the series Moksha, 2005, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Fazal Sheikh, Dawn along the Yamuna, Vrindavan, India, from the series Moksha, 2005, inkjet print, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Jane P. Watkins. © Fazal Sheikh
Photographer Fazal Sheikh has traveled the world, capturing images of the displaced and marginalized in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. This exhibition celebrates a major MFAH acquisition of 75 photographs spanning the artist’s career.
Sheikh, an award-winning photographer, was born in New York City in 1965. Homelands and Histories features images representing each of his key projects, from the late 1980s to 2013. A portraitist of uncommon sensitivity, Sheikh seeks to sustain a relationship with the societies he photographs, often spending extended periods of time in each community.
In Sheikh’s own words, his aim is to “contribute to a wider understanding of these groups, to respect them as individuals, and to counter the ignorance and prejudice that often attaches to them,” a goal achieved through his simple, direct portraits.
Audio Tour
The optional audio tour features the artist recounting stories of several people featured in his portraits. Access the tour for free online to listen at home, or with your smartphone and headphones in the galleries.
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Generous support is provided by Joseph M. Cohen and W. Temple Webber III.