X Mud Bricks
Cemetery
Mosque
Newtown
Mountains
Tamnougalt. Morocco
2017
Artist in residence in Collaboration with Angela Coates founder of Creative Den Foundation, Working within the community of Southern Morocco. Researching methods of material dialogue, sustainability between artist and local communities in the process of art-making. Working within the context of local traditions and knowledge. The value of learning and engagement from making, materials used are from the place.
Installation consist of mud bricks made by the artist from mud collected from the Draa Valley in the Atlas mountains. Arranged in a grid ,the bricks are fired by the desert heat. The bricks becomes a platform for the artist to present her experience working in the desert. Referencing the important female Berber symbol of ' X ‘ and its forms. A large single diamond could be a watchful guardian warding off evil, it could also be used to represent female attributes as well as fertility. An X seen as a body with arms and legs spread out, X marks the spot.
Henna Hands
Tamnougalt. Morocco
2017
Traditional indoor women activity. Berber ladies who specialised in traditional body Henna came for a home visit and an introduction to Berber culture. The design based on the common theme of 'X' seen across the Moroccan culture, language, textiles, architecture
Fortified X
Shesh Scarf
Tamnougalt. Morocco
2017
Moroccan "shesh," the traditional Touareg turban worn for protection against the desert sun. Threading and weaving a shesh scarf through the mud bricks wall of an abandoned house, with a palm throng used as an improvised needle. With the assistant from Mustapha and Mohammed, the local craftsman and builder.