When First Fridays rolls around, Visible Records is a must-visit for gallery hoppers looking for compelling, distinct works in a variety of mediums. Every month the artist-run gallery and studio space collaborates with an impressive lineup of local and visiting artists, including Fumi Ishino, Dana Washington-Queen, Jackie Sumell, and the February 2023 artist, Kevin Jerome Everson. Visible Records also hosts a variety of community events, including letter-writing workshops, concerts, and lectures. Assistant Director Mahanoor Samee joined the Visible Records team in November of last year. “I see Visible Records as a catalyst from which radical and creative thought arises, specifically to strengthen community power and pursue justice,” Samee writes. “I want it to be a refuge for us all to feel safe and supported. But I also want it to be a place to turn up and have a good time.” Learn more at visible-records.com. (Answers have been edited for length.)
Age: 23
Pronouns: she/her
Why here: I came for school and stayed for my job at Visible Records
Worst thing about living here: This town is mad boring please put me on to some shit to do
Best thing about living here: It’s peaceful and the nature is gorgeous
Favorite hangout spot: Tonsler Park
Favorite restaurant: Box’d Kitchen
Bodo’s order: Currently a cinnamon raisin with honey walnut cream cheese
Who is your hero: Musa (as). Duron Chavis. My Didi.
Best advice you ever got: The purpose of your life is to experience living—My younger brother Aadam If you do what makes you happy, it’ll lead to doing more of what makes you happy—Ely Sibarium
Proudest accomplishment/achievement: I worked hard as hell to learn myself, and to be happy and at peace. There’s nothing I cherish more.
Do you have any pets: Ziggy! My dog.
Favorite book: Don’t have one, but a recent joy has been The Year of Blue Water by Yanyi
What songs are you listening to right now: “GOD DID” by DJ Khaled and “Cicada” by Anju
What’s a song you pretend you don’t like because it’s embarrassing that you love it: “Knife Talk” by Drake. Though I don’t hide it well.
Who’d play you in a movie: A younger Kajol
Most embarrassing moment: One time when I was 18 a guy asked for my number. And I just stared at him, mouth agape, looking utterly terrified, for like five minutes. He didn’t know what to do so he just kept saying “It’s okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to give me your number”. When I finally stopped glitching I looked him dead in the eye and said “I- I’m sorry. I’m getting an arranged marriage”. And then I never spoke to him again. Poor guy.
Biggest lie you’ve ever told: I had just turned 6, and got an Ariel cassette as a birthday present. I knew I wasn’t supposed to, but I got curious and impulsively pulled all the tape out and ruined it. I cried. And when my mom came, I blamed it on my brother. He got in so much trouble, I still feel guilty about it.
Describe a perfect day: I would be with my best friends or my siblings in Pakistan. And we would go on a hike at sunrise and get lost and end up somewhere magical. We would talk to intriguing strangers about their lives. Then we’d stumble upon a mind-blowing street concert and stop to watch. Then we would go home, nap, and wake up at the same time. We would gather in the living room, drink perfect chai, and argue over something random that leads us into a deep Wikipedia dive or a 20-minute YouTube video on something we will never reference again. We would make something together—a song or TikTok dance or brownies. And we’d build a blanket fort to sleep under, stocked with turkey sandwiches and Kit Kats and clementines and hot Cheetos and just in case ginger ale. And when everyone in the house is asleep we would whisper stories to each other and stifle our laughter in our massive fuzzy blankets. We would fall asleep laughing.
Most used app on your phone: Instagram or FaceTime
Last text you sent: i can not sleep bro like i literally cant sleep to save my life
Most used emoji:
is so versatile
Subject that causes you to rant: “Community”
Best journey you ever went on: Pakistan! Or Tanzania.
Next journey: I don’t have one planned but I would honestly love to go to Pakistan again and visit the north
Favorite curse word: I actually do cuss a little. Probably fuck.
Hottest take/most unpopular opinion: Intention matters more (or at the very least equally as much) as impact
What have you forgotten today: How would I remember if I forgot