The theme of "Mashrabiya" plays a central role in Susan Hefuna‘s work. The enthusiasm of the artist for Egyptian windows, the highly precise crafted Mashrabiyas, are easily understood by people familiar with oriental life. These handcrafted architectural elements are functional as elements to let in air and light while preventing the outsider’s gaze. Mashrabiyas connect the outside with the inside, that is to say they are instantly the authority that filter out the loud, busy, hectic life to allow the inner life to be free from external disturbance. This is a distinct place that could perhaps be compared to the architectural meditation chambers found in big mosques of the Arabic region in former Ottoman Empire.
