Exhibition / 29 Apr – 11 May 2023

Faadi / Y Stafell Fyw / The Living Room

Faadi/Y Stafell Fyw/The Living Room is an intergenerational photography and fashion project sharing intimate family settings within Somali Welsh homes. With an emphasis on celebration, the project includes images of young local models in bridal wear, community members modelling cultural clothing such as Hidyaah Dhaqan and Diraq, brotherhood and soft masculinity and the traditional dance of Ciyaar Somali.

Around 40-50 community members participated in this photoshoot, either as models, dancers or providing materials and traditional clothing. This is the first intergenerational project which showcases the Welsh Somali experience and life with an emphasis on the young women in the community. The revival of the traditional dance Ciyaar Somali in the past year has been an excellent opportunity for younger community members to connect to their cultural heritage, and as a wedding and celebratory dance, we thought it would be important to document this very important moment for the Welsh Somali community in Cardiff.

This project is a collaboration between Asma Elmi, founder and creative director of Al Naeem, and Young Queens. Al Naeem is a magazine which centres on Black and Muslim fashion, photography and art. Young Queens is an arts group for young Welsh Somali women from Cardiff, founded by Hayaat Women’s Trust, with funding support from Heritage Lottery.

Credits

Directed by Asma Elmi

Executive Producer: Izzy Rabey

Photographer: Yasmin Jama

Videographer: Saif

Stylist & Set Design: Asma Elmi, Haida Hamidi

Cast: Young Queens, Marwah Ahmed, Nadia Nur, Muna Ali, Mohamed Hassan, Kamal Yussuf

Thank you to: Al Naaem Magazine, Young Queens, Hayaat Women’s Trust, Heavenly Boutique, Blossom Bay Events