An interstitial intimacy: Renegotiating the public and the private in the work of Zineb Sedira

This article examines the role of history, memory and gender in the work of British-based French Algerian artist Zineb Sedira, with particular reference to the politics of veiling in France and Algeria and hidden family histories of the Algerian War. Habitual boundaries drawn between public and private spheres in France have been questioned in the work of several French artists of ethnic minority origin. The work of Sedira engages directly with the interplay between public and private lives through her film, photography and video works. By examining both her and her parents' past, Sedira prioritizes the private side of public conflicts and controversies, and asserts its pivotal role in remembering the past. Copyright © SAGE Publications.