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In this short film, Ajlan describes his installation, Paradise Has Many Gates. The structure replicates the design and function of a traditional mosque, but is made of the cage-like chicken wire associated with border fences and refugee detention centres. The material provokes anxiety, but it also renders the mosque’s interior visible and open to the elements. When shown in the West, the installation serves to demystify Islamic prayer for non-Muslims, tackling the fear of the other at the heart of Islamophobia.
Although its material connects the mosque to an architecture of control, the work is intended to be a site of community connection. Ajlan invites people of all backgrounds, of any religion, to spend time together in the space.
Find out more about the Jameel Prize: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/jameel-prize-poetry-to-politics
Vote for your favourite shortlisted artist from this year’s Jameel Prize: https://jameel-prize.vam.ac.uk/entry/vote/kogmjJYg