Sand Blazing Star - A commentary on Female Genital Mutilation

The Sand Blazing Star is a rare flower of the Sahara Desert, deprived of rain and shaped by wind and sand. Yet in the barren landscape, the flower blooms with radiant petals, resilient vines, and a golden heart that glimmers like a burning star—as its name indicates.

In this piece, the miraculous flower serves as a central symbol of female genital mutilation (FGM). The petals, intertwined with red and violet beads, evoke the form of the female labium, while the serrated inner patterns reference the irreversible wounds left by mutilation. Red chains, symbolizing blood, intertwine and press the flower into the dust and soil. Despite the adversity, the blossom, open and luminous, display an effort trying to break free from its restraints. This is an ode to survival.