Zahina Maghrabi in Project See & B Issue 02 - It’s a Sign!
Introducing Zahina Maghrabi one of the talented WA-based creatives featured in Project See & B Issue 02: It’s a Sign!
Zahina Maghrabi (she/her) is a creative writer based in Perth, she has written for publications such as SBS Voices, Amaliah and was also the hot desk fellow for centre for stories All Write this year.
📸 Pictured is her featured piece Peanut Butter Philosopher: From the Calicoverse.
“The short story is a piece exploring the theme of memory and grief, and how it is processed through the lens of a teenage muslim girl, transitioning into adulthood while navigating the weight and impact of her friend who passed away. The unnamed character is met with a chance to escape and start life in alternative world. Thematically, It speaks to the universal experience of grief, loss and joy, as well as the unique experiences of being a young muslim girl and the nuances that come with it. As this is an overwhelming period, she is caught between trying to come to terms with death and the impacts on mental health. The genre is set in a sci fi and soft fantasy world, which acts as a means to escape grief it through leaving it behind and forgetting them entirely.
As a sign, the symbolic character of the calico acts as a way for the character to leave behind a life that is raw and painful, and find comfort in forgetting memory entirely. However this poses an ethical and subjective question, as memory and loss are part of the human experience which allow people to grow and understand themselves better. It is also partially drawn from my own lived experiences with grief, and writing stories that are of interest to me with a sci fi/fantasy element which were the foundations of my writing journey. I also chose to include a character of Muslim heritage, however identity is not the main focus, as it focusses on loss and loneliness and how it seems easier to turn away and forget about pain rather than work through it.”
Explore more of Zahina’s work here.
Join us on Nov 8 to celebrate Zahina and other incredible creatives at Issue 02 Launch + Exhibition
This one-night-only event offers an exclusive first look at Issue 02, plus a pop-up exhibition featuring works by 18 WA-based artists.
📅 Friday, 8 November 2024
🕡 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 10/47 McCoy St, Myaree WA 6154
🎟️ FREE Entry
