Stillness and calmness. Tais-toi et sois belle: In general, women, from all over the world, are being taught to be silent, educated, learned but not to speak their minds. Women can be silenced twice through female genital mutilation, which often makes it very difficult for women to climax during sex. A shiny pearl contrasted against black fabric expresses these multiple silences. Words are like pearls, rolling formed, developed, and cultivated over time, treasured, colourful, shiny, lustrous pearls of wisdom. The clitoris is a pearl with a value that is imaginary or designated by others.

Aljohara Jeje is a South Arabian artist interested in the cultural landscape of today’s Saudi Arabia. Her latest series ‘Shadows of the Past Foretelling the Future’ for which she has been awarded by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture.