A Tragic Inspiration
On December 16, 2020, a tragic event in Bangladesh profoundly impacted my artistic work: the rape and murder of a young woman during the Victory Day celebrations. This day, meant to symbolize freedom and victory, reveals the cruel irony of the condition of women in our society. If even on this festive day, women are not safe, what meaning does our victory hold? The brutality of sexual assaults and murders of women is omnipresent in the media, but rarely followed by justice. Too often, the victims are blamed for their own misfortunes because of their clothing or appearance.
Jewellery: Beauty and Stigma
Women love to wear jewelry to feel beautiful and express themselves. However, in many cultures, they are forced to give up these ornaments due to sexual harassment. Some people mistakenly think that women adorn themselves to attract men, forgetting that beauty and elegance can be acts of self-care and personal expression.
It is important to understand that not all women present themselves attractively to attract men. Even if some do it for a specific man, it doesn’t mean they are trying to attract all men. In public spaces like buses or markets, men do not hesitate to touch women’s private parts, which traumatizes many of them, pushing them to avoid going out. Many women are forced to veil themselves and wear burqas from a young age. Some families believe that marrying off girls early can prevent such incidents.
In the Indian subcontinent, jewellery also has economic significance for women. During weddings, they receive gold or silver jewellery, symbols of financial security for those who do not earn money.
The reinterpretation of jewellery by Art
Faced with these injustices, I designed a collection of jewelry made from screws, pins, nails, cans, and ceramics. These raw and sharp materials disrupt the traditional idea of jewelry as a mere beauty accessory, transforming it into a tool of defense. These pieces are not just pretty; they are armor. Through my artistic work, I suggest that jewellery should not only be ornaments but also instruments of protection, providing both mental and physical security to women.
In my imagination, it is not the woman who protects her jewellery, but she wears jewellery to protect herself, to defend herself. No one touches her without her consent. No woman should have to stop doing what she loves; she should be able to wear the dress she wants. No one should force her to do something she doesn’t like or to marry before she is physically and mentally prepared.
Artistic Inspiration
My work is inspired by Christelle Familiari‘s sculpture, “La Panoplie de Défense,” and the contemporary jewellery of Karl Fritsch. At the FRAC Franche-Comté, I visited an exhibition where Familiari’s “La Panoplie de Défense, épaule droite,” made of cotton thread, synthetic beads, and porcelain spikes, particularly struck me with its blend of fragility and defensive form. These artists have inspired me to imagine a new form of jewellery, where the woman does not protect her jewellery, but protects herself with them.
Choosing Freedom: Your Right, Your Responsibility
Through “Safeguarding Jewellery,” I aim for every woman to freely choose what she wants to wear, without fear or judgment. I am not against religious clothing, but against the coercion and stigmatization of women for their clothing choices. No one should be forced to give up what they like, nor should they be accused for their appearance. My art is a call to defend and protect women, to allow them to express themselves freely, and to punish the true perpetrators of violence and injustice.
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