THE HORIZON IS HERS
Reclaiming space. Redefining strength.
The Horizon is Hers is a visual manifesto exploring identity, culture, and equestrian symbolism. Through a series of staged encounters between a veiled athlete and the horse, the project challenges simplified narratives about Muslim women. In these images, strength is quiet, dignity is unapologetic, and freedom is self-defined.
MAIN GALLERY
The central works of The Horizon Is Hers.
The Anchor
In the quiet dust of the arena, she becomes the still point around which everything settles. The horse stands behind her, not as a symbol of control, but as a witness to her presence. Between heritage and horizon, she finds her ground. In this moment of calm authority, home is no longer a place she searches for, but a strength she carries within.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
The Pillars of Liberation
Back to back, woman and horse stand as equals, two forms of strength rising from the same ground. The horse becomes a living pillar beside her, not to shield her from the world, but to reflect the power she carries within. Together they form a quiet architecture of liberation.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
One Heartbeat
Woman and horse stand eye to eye, unbridled, unafraid. Their symmetry is not coincidence but recognition, a meeting of equals. In their gaze lies an unspoken truth: power needs no noise. On the cusp of understanding, wildness meets peace.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
The Voice of the Void
Her eyes are closed. Reins cross her neck like echoes of control, yet her veil flows through them untouched, a quiet act of rebellion. Above her, the horse hovers, serene and untamed. In stillness, she finds her voice; in silence, she rises.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
The Call of Stillness
She stands between two untamed horses, arms open to the air. The field is quiet, yet charged, a breath held between stillness and surrender. This is not control, but communion; not fragility, but awakening. On the cusp of power, she listens, and the world answers.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
Becoming Whole
She stands beneath the arch of the horse’s neck, not overshadowed, but held within its strength. Her gaze is steady, unflinching. Together they form a single silhouette, human and animal merging in quiet power. It is a portrait of arrival, the moment before a woman steps fully into her own horizon.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025
The Silent Story
No movement. No command. Only presence. In the quiet between them, a story unfolds without words, one of trust, patience, and shared dignity. Some truths are never spoken; they are simply understood.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
Athena
From below, she rises against the open sky. A figure of quiet revolution. The horse leans toward her, drawn to her steadiness as she looks far beyond him, beyond us. It is a vision of emergence. She is on the cusp of becoming her own dawn.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
Of Wind & Flame
Wind and light fuse woman and horse into one. Her veil and his mane move with the same current, wild, alive, unrestrained. Together, they embody a moment on the cusp of flight, between earth and sky, belonging and transcendence.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
Sand & Sky
Four silhouettes move as one toward the fading light. Woman and horse stand in quiet alignment, their gazes fixed on what lies ahead. In their presence lies a quiet strength, a reminder that identity is not defined by the boundaries imposed upon it. Together, they face the horizon not as something distant, but as something already theirs.
Captured in Bedfordshire, 2025.
SIDE HALL
More of the project
EXHIBITION
The Horizon is Hers was exhibited as part of The Other Refuge at Open Eye Gallery during the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) 2026, the UK’s longest-running annual festival celebrating Arab arts and culture.
Presented alongside artists exploring identity, belonging, and representation, the project invited audiences to see Muslim women through a different lens. Through equine fine art photography, the series celebrates freedom, strength, and individuality while challenging common stereotypes and encouraging conversations around identity and empowerment.
As part of the festival programme, I also delivered an artist talk, sharing the inspiration behind the project, the symbolism of horses within the work, and the stories of the women who took part. The exhibition sparked meaningful conversations with visitors, participants, and the festival team, highlighting the importance of authentic representation through visual storytelling.
Exhibiting The Horizon is Hers at Liverpool Arab Arts Festival marked the project’s first public presentation and an important milestone in its journey. The project continues to evolve and is available for future exhibitions, festivals, galleries, universities, and cultural organisations.
Featured Publication
An in-depth feature exploring The Horizon is Hers, the contemporary equine fine art photography project exhibited at Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, and its exploration of Muslim women's identity, freedom, and representation.
The Horizon is Hers: Redefining Belonging through Fine Art and Equestrian Symbolism
Published by MWN Hub
Curator's Perspective
The Horizon is Hers brought a quietly powerful presence to Liverpool this summer, through the collective photography exhibition The Other Refuge at Open Eye Gallery, part of this year's festival edition. Through the relationship between (Muslim) women and horses, Nasma's work opens a space where strength, stillness, and belonging coexist, while challenging assumptions and inviting viewers into a more expansive understanding of the rich and complex Arab identity.
Toufik Douib
Creative Producer, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival
Voices from the Women
Participating in Nasma’s project made me feel very seen as a Muslim equestrian woman wearing a headscarf. I felt that this was an opportunity to be represented in a beautiful way, and the rare chance to feel creative and unique. Her style and presence was artistic and it was a great pleasure to be involved in this project.
Noori Husain
Athlete / Project Model
I was really honoured to be a part of the project, as a lifelong equestrian horses have been a massive part of empowerment to me and so Nasma’s project really spoke to me. As women, we shouldn’t limit our dreams and channel the spirit of a horse chasing them.
Rayahan Sherlala
Athlete / Project Model
CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Project Developer: Hani Younes
Athletes: Rayahan Sherlala & Noori Husain
Fashion: Jalabeeb
Assistant Photographer: Rabea Akkas
Location & Model Horses: Sunnyside Livery & Nasma Aljizawi
NASMA ALJIZAWI
Artist & Photographer rooted in a lived experience of migration and resilience, Nasma Aljizawi’s work transforms personal history into universal fine art. Having navigated the journey to the UK as a refugee, Nasma used her Master’s education and her passion for equestrianism to build a platform for unheard stories.
Her unique perspective has been featured by Horse & Hound, positioning her as a voice in contemporary equestrian photography. Her work is a bridge between the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, speaking a global language of empowerment.
Interested in exhibiting The Horizon is Hers?
The project is available for galleries, museums, festivals, universities, and cultural organisations.
I also offer artist talks, panel discussions, and interviews exploring the themes behind the project, including identity, representation, Muslim women, and storytelling through equine fine art photography.