Over the past few years, I have been developing an ongoing series in which cultural patterns are merged with artistic make-up. These patterns are deliberately magnified on the face, allowing them to dominate the surface without diminishing beauty. Instead, beauty and symbolism exist simultaneously, each reinforcing the other.

​

One of the first prints explored in this series is the keffiyeh. Traditionally a scarf with a checkered pattern, the keffiyeh has taken on a powerful contemporary meaning as a symbol of Palestinian resistance and the struggle for freedom. While the pattern has carried different meanings throughout history, it is now widely worn as an expression of solidarity and connection to Palestine.

​

At the same time, the reality behind this symbol risks being reduced to a passing image, consumed alongside fashion editorials or online content. This work addresses two urgent and interconnected issues: the way the ongoing violence in Gaza is repeatedly approached and absorbed through images, and the persistent struggle for women’s rights and the recognition of female art forms in 2024. Although these subjects are highly visible online, they remain underrepresented in lived reality. Recognition, rights and meaningful solutions continue to fall short.

​

By placing the chain-like pattern of the keffiyeh at the centre of the image, the work points to what is urgently needed yet often absent in contemporary society: freedom, equality and unity. The face becomes both a surface and a site of confrontation, where beauty does not soften the message but holds it in place.

Through this series, viewers are invited to question their own perception and the realities behind what they see. By enlarging culturally charged patterns on the face, the work encourages a deeper engagement with their historical weight and the socio-political contexts in which they continue to operate.

​

Models:
Audrey Anouk Deswerdt
Renée Van Osta
Nora van Laer