Act No. 6: 1001 Nights in Zanzibar, 2024

"Act.No.06: 1001 Nights in Zanzibar is a multimedia installation that uncovers silenced stories of forced child marriages and political persecution following the Zanzibar Revolution of 1964. Inspired by the original 1001 Nights and Scheherazade's use of storytelling to transform a vengeful king into a compassionate leader, the work explores a 1971 presidential decree that allowed officials to forcibly marry underage girls, including many women in the artist's family. These policies led to deportation, imprisonment, confiscation of family properties, and decades of silence about the trauma endured. Asma, as the first in her generation to uncover this hidden history, conducted years of research and discovered the secret stories of many women in her family who were impacted by these events. She traveled across Tanzania, Kenya, Oman, and Iran to gather testimonies, family documents, and archival records, piecing together her family's survival through forced marriages, captivity, and eventual escape. The project combines archival materials, 3D laser scans, VR experience and video art to mirror Scheherazade's journey—not merely as a hope but as an exploration of how storytelling has the potential to confront power and inspire transformation. By sharing these stories, Act.No.06: 1001 Nights in Zanzibar reflects on how Scheherazade used stories to change a vengeful king, drawing attention to the mad tyrants of today who continue to use women's bodies as tools of revenge in war and revolution." -- Abstract