Naeem Mohaiemen Reflects on Art and Activism After 9/11

Mohaiemen on "Good Muslim, Bad Muslim"

Artist Naeem Mohaiemen writes that after Mahmood Mamdani published Good Muslim, Bad Muslim in 2004, he immediately recognized himself in its pages. Reflecting on the period after the 9/11 attacks, Mohaiemen recalls believing that politeness in the face of Islamophobia would cause it to wilt. His opinion piece serves as both a record and a call to action, addressing the haunting time after the attacks and the South Asian community activism that rose in response. Now a professor at Columbia University, Mohaiemen notes that Mamdani's son, Zohran, had other ideas.

A Personal Account of September 11

In a separate reflection, Mohaiemen describes the days surrounding the attacks. By August, the Tribeca nightclub Vinyl had gone into a Peter Gatien-era meltdown. Time magazine had run a cover story the year prior about Ecstasy's effects, and the dancefloor had posters warning of plainclothes sting operations. Talcum powder remained on the floor for dancing, but euphoric substances had vanished. In all his Sundays dancing at Vinyl, Mohaiemen had never considered how close it was to the Twin Towers—until that Tuesday in September. By nightfall, the pavement outside was stacked with plastic bags of socks, t-shirts, and sweatpants collected for tower survivors expected to be pulled out "any moment now." They waited until midnight, and by then it was clear: no one got out alive.

Institutional Shifts and Cultural Losses

The School of Visual Arts will be ending its graduate Photography, Video, and Related Media program in light of the institution's mounting deficit. The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt comes home to Scotland just two weeks after the quilt's founder, Ally Van Tillo, died on August 30. The Brooklyn Public Library officially launches its first-ever lending program for craft supplies. The French culture minister said two small tears were found on the Bayeux Tapestry after its recent transfer to the British Museum in London. Crowds gathered at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming, for the unveiling of a statue honoring Grizzly 399 the bear and her four cubs.

"We naively thought if we were polite in the face of Islamophobia, it would wilt," Mohaiemen recalls.

Critical Perspectives

Channelle Chevelle Russell reviews a Pope.L exhibition at the Drawing Center in Manhattan, describing a collection of works on paper that typifies his frantic and sometimes opaque renderings of thought. David S. Rubin examines Joel-Peter Witkin's elaborate tableaux vivants, which blend elements of mythology, the Bible, and art history to express compassion for the marginalized. A guide highlights 15 fall art biennials and triennials from St. Louis to Dakar, including a photography show dedicated to NYC at night, an Indigenous-led arts festival honoring the Mississippi River, and the first-ever Bienal de Yucatán.

Community and Opportunities

Oswaldo García shares a view from his easel: "Sometimes it's infinite folding and binding, and I just spend the day or weekend doing that." The Foundwork 2026 Artist Prize offers a $10,000 grant and studio visits with jurors Stefan Benchoam, François Ghebaly, Manuela Moscoso, Gabi Ngcobo, and Esther Schipper; three shortlisted artists receive $1,000 grants. The deadline is September 25, 2026.

Reflections and Archives

In the wake of Lonnie Bunch's resignation from the Smithsonian and amid Trump's attacks on the institution, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty reflects on being "a Smithsonian kid" and how the museums on the Mall shaped his life and career. From the archive, Galician artist Bea Lema navigates themes of generational trauma and healing, illustrating the story of a daughter who wants to protect her mother. A member comment praises new painting and the openness of recent work, while another notes the infinite variety of spiritual awakenings.