Revisions by Lalla Essaydi (review)

The exhibition Revisions offers a unique opportunity to see the development of Lalla Essaydi’s ideas as they pertain both to her personal history and to the greater story of Moroccan women. Through analysis of the various collections on view at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, this review traces the patterns of history and ideology Essaydi incorporates into her images. The exhibition in Washington enables visitors to connect concepts that have evolved over time in Essaydi’s work; this review forges these connections and begins a discussion of their importance to the greater field of Arab women artists.