Masq Magazine

03/07/2018

"During the radio segment, I had heard people putting me in a box, calling me a violent Muslim; an angry one who drives big Mercedes and is a potential threat to Danish cis-men on the street. If I ever became a parent, they implied, I'd fail to teach my children good values; instead I would teach them violence and encourage them to become criminals."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/7/2/radio-frequency

On his 38th birthday, Saadat Munir tunes into racism and Islamophobia in Denmark’s ‘ghetto’ debate.

11/06/2018

"What white feminists and f**kboys need to own up to is their lack of respect and consideration for the emotions, ideas, and time of those around them and do better. Just because work is difficult or uncomfortable is not a sufficient reason to not engage. Sorry, not sorry."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/6/11/f**kboys-and-white-feminism

Breaking it down with the help of a Venn Diagram.

28/04/2018

"What would she say now, knowing that she like so many others from Generation Windrush left their children and families, to come to the colonial metropolis and make a different living by “attempting” to sound like the Queen, are now being told to go back to Jamaica and "use local accents and dialects"? And what would she say if she found out that she had to pay £2,297 for permanent residence and an additional £1,282 for a citizenship, to prove that she, regardless of her perfect speech, could claim these rainy islands off the coast of continental Europe, her own?"

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/4/27/tongue-tied-by-empire

In the wake of the Windrush scandal, Yannick Nehemiah Antonio Harrison remembers their grandmother and a loss beyond landing cards.

20/04/2018

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/4/20/tarot-series-seven-of-swords

Nadia Nadesan explores intimate worlds of womxn, the distance in between, and intimate spaces through her tarot card series.

This week's tarot card explores transition and the tools we use to recreate ourselves. 

06/04/2018

Radhika Agarwal creates everyday objects to imagine a society that celebrates older migrant mothers in a way that doesn't reinforce gendered stereotypes and heteronormative ideals.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/4/5/celebrate-older-migrant-mothers

After watching her own mother struggle in diaspora, interaction designer Radhika Agarwal decided to created everyday objects representing the experiences of older migrant women. 

03/04/2018

A new tarot card series, by Nadia Nadesan, explores intimate worlds of women.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2018/4/2/tarot-series-two-of-cups

 Nadia Nadesan explores intimate worlds of women through her tarot card series,

13/12/2017

"Being able to say you are colour blind comes from being in a position of privilege. You can only say you are colour blind if you have never adversely felt the affects of your skin colour."

Annika Patni unpacks colour blindness:

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/12/12/on-colour-blindness

When people say they are colour blind, it is a individual declaration that says ‘I am not a racist.’

10/12/2017

Sunday listening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATwW2romRbc&feature=youtu.be

Official music video for DL Boi written and produced by Umilo and Whyt Lyon. Directed by Jono Kay. Starring Llewellyn Mnguni and Henk Opperman. Download the ...

18/09/2017

hit us upppp 🌹📬🌹

NB! We are a diy, unfunded publication, and our editorial content is created on a voluntary basis

11/09/2017

"I think I choose to use humour because I feel when you face such topics with a hostile perspective, it’s hard to open discussions where people feel comfortable sharing their experiences. But when you poke fun at things, it can start deeper and more meaningful conversations that can lead to possible solutions."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/9/10/shes-not-sari

Pranavi Suthagar, aka. Not Sari, shares her thoughts on MS Paint, eating with hands, and connecting through everyday objects.

17/08/2017

Check out our latest interview with Gloria Lucas, the founder of Nalgona Positivity Pride, a project that looks to offer messages of feminism, body-autonomy, decoloniality and self-love, as well as a community for people who have experiences with eating disorders.

"Many body-positive pages never address intersectionality. Movements such as BLM and the Undocuq***r movement, are all about body autonomy and freedom so IT DOES correlate to body-positivity. There also isn't a lot of visibility around older people, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities. So that's my thing. I think mainstream body positivity doesn't go deep enough. It’s not only about ‘oh I love myself’, but it also should include ‘I don’t want my body to be a target for police brutality.’”

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/8/14/broadening-body-positivity-nalgona-positivity-pride

Read about Nalgona Positivity Pride, a project started by Gloria Lucas who makes t-shirts that carry messages of decoloniality, feminism, body-autonomy, and self-love.

12/08/2017

"I’ve always been a brutally honest writer. I am the daughter of refugees, the fifth of seven children and the first to be born in Toronto. Diaspora, migration, the struggle of refugees, these are the stories I know best. I hate that I felt compelled to prove some sort of humanity with some of these songs. It’s a shame but this is the world we live in. It was about corrective work for me. I felt compelled to attempt to bring beauty from ashes."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/8/11/cold-specks-album-release

Read the interview with the Somali-Canadian artist whose highly anticipated album ‘Fool’s Paradise’ digs deep into themes of identity, belonging and self-love.

09/08/2017

We're looking forward to Aks International Minorities Festival, kicking off in Copenhagen next week. We chatted with the artistic director of the festival and with activist Uzma Ahmed about what this year's program has in store.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/8/9/aks-festival

Copenhagen's upcoming festival explores intersections between migration, religion and s*xuality.

21/06/2017

Read our latest on New York-based artist Johanna Toruno's uplifting work!

“I came here at a very young age, spoke no English, and endured a lot of abuse, so I often apologised for living. I would say 'sorry' a lot out of fear of reaction and to feeling like I was not in control. My work is for that little girl in that space. It's supposed to remind us that we are every bit the rightful heirs to this world - the black and brown body is sacred."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/unapologetically-brown-series

How one New York-based artist is empowering communities of colour through street art.

03/06/2017

New Dirty Eraser - your regular dose of visual & comic commentary:

"It felt like I wasn't accomplished in either side of my culture and was constantly having to be apologetic to the west, purely because of my faith or where my parents were born."

"http://www.masqmag.com/the-dirty-eraser/2017/6/3bookybrowngirl

Exploring what it means to be a British, South Asian Muslim youth today. The conflict and the feelings of displacement that can exist between the two identities. That 'mix' of being not British enough to be British (whatever it means to be British nowadays) and not Asian enough to be Asian,

12/05/2017

"Drugs physically affect people in more or less the same way, regardless of ethnicity, culture or social background. Its stigma however, doesn’t."

Graphic artist and writer R breaks down everyday racism one letter at a time in his series, the A - Z of Microaggressions. Each letter represents a topic surrounding experiences of racism which is then explored through different stories. This week, the letter D...

http://www.masqmag.com/az-of-microagressions/2017/5/12/d-is-for-drugs

Graphic artist and writer "R" will be breaking down everyday racism one letter at a time in his series, the A - Z of Microaggressions. This week, the letter D: D is for Drugs The substance taken for its narcotic effects or experience which is sometimes described as an escape.

10/05/2017

"Q***rness was like an additional form of separation I felt on top of the isolation and distance you feel growing up as an immigrant abroad. When I was told my q***rness was unacceptable, un-African, these ideas were weaponised against me so that I felt driven away from my culture."

Limitless Africans is a decolonial documentary photography project that challenges the myth of q***r and African as separate identities.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/q***r-african-identities

By Maya Acharya Limit(less) is a decolonial documentary photography project that aims to debunk the idea that LGBTQI identities are “un-African” by using personal expression, fashion and style. The project, created by Mikael Owunna, and shot thus far in the US, Sweden, Canada, the UK and Tr

20/04/2017

"As a child I loved looking at the way fabric textures and patterns draped, and often daydreamed of the possibilities of clothing and accessories to express and transform the inner and outer perceptions of oneself. But growing up amidst the noise of a s*xist, racist and fatphobic society, I was often told that I was too much and yet never enough. Women, especially fat women of colour, are often told through slick imagery and sly copy to minimize their presence as much as possible."

This week's 'Dirty Eraser' post is a stunning series by Keet, celebrating fat femmes of colour!

http://www.masqmag.com/the-dirty-eraser/2017/4/20/primaries-by-keet

By Keet I drew my first fat femme in 2007. I was twenty years old. I remember the excitement and joy of my hand moving to convey bulges and folds of flesh and fabric across the page. It was a moment of affirmation and power after years and years of drawing thin people, a lightbulb clic

10/04/2017

💜 💜 Reminder💜 💜
The deadline for submitting work for our first print magazine is in 10 days
Theme: PRESENCE
Deadline: 20 April 2017
We are looking for illustration, photography, visual art, text, poetry, mixed media and everything in between.
Submissions can be sent to [email protected]
Each contributor will receive the print zine, and 150 dkk.
Spread the word!
https://giphy.com/gifs/l0IyfvsYddxXF26Fq/html5

10/04/2017

"There is so much power in pride. We do not need validation from the public, we validate ourselves through this kind of celebration.” - Umlilo

is an unapologetic, celebratory public protest and declaration of solidarity among non-binary, trans and q***r creatives in Cape Town.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/4/10/femmeinpublic

Watch the video of the live fashion protest in Cape Town and thoughts from artist Umlilo on disrupting the heteronormative and colonial gaze.

07/04/2017

"My ma ma and I inhabit extremely different lives - and because she speaks a dialect of Shanghai instead of Cantonese, we often feel like strangers. Despite our vast generational and cultural differences, I can’t help but spot so many parallels in how we navigate our day to day lives."

New 'Dirty Eraser' post by Lorraine Chuen!

http://www.masqmag.com/the-dirty-eraser/2017/4/7/phone-calls-are-hard-by-lorraine-chuen

By Lorraine Chuen Sometimes Love is Quiet, Sometimes it's Not There at All is a small, comic collection of short stories about the quiet ways in which immigrant families show that they care for one another, contrasted with the struggle that often comes with trying to navigate white spaces.

30/03/2017

'Upon My Skin' is a new film-poem by Axel Kacoutié, and it's got us mesmerised.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/3/29/dark-horses-and-desire

Composer and poet Axel Kacoutié recently released his new film poem 'Upon My Skin', and it's hauntingly beautiful.

22/03/2017

The A-Z of Microaggressions is a series in which writer and graphic designer 'R' breaks down everyday racism, one letter at a time. Each letter represents a topic surrounding experiences of racism which is then explored through different stories. This week, C is for Colourism.

http://www.masqmag.com/az-of-microagressions/2017/3/22/c-is-for-colourism

Graphic artist and writer "R" will be breaking down everyday racism one letter at a time in his series, the A - Z of Microaggressions. This week, the letter C: C IS FOR COLOURISM vs vs vs vs

20/03/2017

"When I moved to Madrid and made my apartment my home, I adorned my space with music and the sound of cooking. Sound making is world making whether it be internal or shared."

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/3/20/seeking-sounds

Reflecting on the sounds of home, nostalgia, and resettling that create acoustic territories, Nadia Nadesan composes the sound of her ideal city.

16/03/2017

Calling all Artists! Masq is looking for submissions for our very first print zine ⚡

Theme: PRESENCE
Deadline: 20 April 2017

Masq is an online mag that explores Migration, Identity and Representation through Art. Masq is a space to increase the representation of artists of colour, working with themes such as diaspora, belonging, embodiment, decolonization and empowerment.

We are looking for illustration, photography, visual art, text, poetry, mixed media and everything in between.

Submissions can be sent to [email protected]

Each contributor will receive the print zine, and 150 dkk.

Spread the word! 💜

10/03/2017

📻 Check out the latest session of We were always there 📻

"In this session Axel will be doing a reading of two of his poems that deal with bodily grief, imagining parallel universes, escapism, s*x as a tool of self-care, and hope. Our conversation will also dive deeper into the topics stated above. The conversation/interview will take place in English, but both his pieces will be read in Danish."

* Axel Pedersen-Nielsen is a transgender activist, teacher and poet *

✨ Happy Friday!✨

http://www.masqmag.com/we-were-always-there/2017/3/6/session-2-nr-kroppe-som-vores-lrer-at-elske-hinanden-bedre

08/03/2017

For we wanna address the violence that trans women face. Globally, most reported murdered trans people are trans women of colour. Between 2008 and 2016 there were 2264 reported killings of trans and gender-diverse people in 68 countries worldwide. This needs to be talked about.
Working to end violence and exclusion and securing reproductive rights of trans and gender non conforming people is vital to feminist movements. We also need to call out media reporting that contributes to violence against trans people by using deadnames (a persons birth name rather than their chosen name) that deny gender identity. Let's dismantle the cis-tem !⚡️⚡️ artwork by

07/03/2017

Check out our latest article/playlist on the recent movement by artists to challenge a clause in the SXSW contract that outlines possible punishments an international artist could face (such as deportation or denial of entry to the US) if they perform at non-SXSW events.

🔥 Support artists who are fighting unjust and discriminatory actions by large institutions🔥

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/3/7/support-artists-who-are-challenging-sxsw-artist-deportation-clause-playlist

On March 2nd (Felix Walworth) of band Told Slant, tweeted a photo of the artist contract for South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The contract outlined that any international band that performs in unofficial or not-SXSW related events could be deported, have the

05/03/2017

Hey y'all, there is an open call for an art residency this summer in Guanajuato, Mexico, organized by the Aguas Migrantes collective. Check out their flyer and their website for more info. Deadline March 15th!
http://aguasmigrantes.com/
🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹
"We envision this connection as a long term participatory project where artists from all over the world are invited to look beyond the stereotypes of Mexico and Mexican people and learn from our rich cultural traditions. In addition, we will create a safe space to interchange ideas and emotions through visual and performing arts without the structure of modern day tourism and the institutionalized museum world."
- Chhoti Maa

01/03/2017

The second installment of 'we were always (t)here' is now up!
In this session, Qwin Whitney Werle interviews Ayun, an Angolan witch, writer, poet and artist, where they discuss the complexities of colourism and anti-blackness in different contexts, as well as comment on what it means to be feminine as someone who is black and q***r. Check it out now!
http://www.masqmag.com/we-were-always-there/2017/2/28/session-1-black-as-f**k

Is separatism necessary? Is colourism and anti-blackness performed differently within different contexts? What does it mean to be feminine as someone who is black and q***r? These are some of the questions and topics that Ayun’s poetry, and our conversation will be diving into during this se

24/02/2017

Today we are featuring The Roma Guide - published in English for the very first time! A space for Roma to shape their own narratives, the illustrated project includes ten facts that members of Roma communities want others to know about them.

http://www.masqmag.com/blog/2017/2/22/the-roma-guide

Ten illustrated facts show what Roma communities would like others to know about their identity, culture and history.

22/02/2017

It's here!! We are excited to feature the first recording of 'We were always (t)here', a new sound series created by Qwin Whitney Werle, centring voices trapped outside the public discourse. In the first installment, Céleste Michel Kigali Nshimiyimana reads his piece "Mor, hvorfor er Pergeren vred?" that deals with his own experiences of growing up in a Rwandan household and in a society in which not being able to speak out about the reality of racism causes frustration and anger. The reading is in Danish, but the interview is in English. Happy listening! 📻

http://www.masqmag.com/we-were-always-there/2017/2/20/session-0-mor-hvorfor-er-pergeren-vred

20/02/2017

📢 Masq Announcement 📢
We are really excited to share a new project with y'all.
We were always there is a new sound series centring voices trapped outside the public discourse. Each recording will be posted on masqmag.com and will feature the badass Qwin Whitney Werle interviewing different creatives working with topics such as decolonisation, radical political expression, norm-disruption, and empowerment.
The first recording will be released later this week, so check out the introduction below and stay tuned 📻 !

https://soundcloud.com/wewerealwaysthere/a-b-o-u-t-we-were-always-there

15/02/2017

Check out this week's 'Dirty Eraser' post on David & Corrin's animated series where they share compelling stories and milestones in African American history.
http://www.masqmag.com/the-dirty-eraser/davidandcorrin

Article written by Erika Del Cid This week's 'Dirty Eraser' is a series of animated illustrations by David & Corrin, a husband and wife creative duo from Virginia, USA, that share the compelling stories and milestones in African American history. To create each animation, they start their process b...