Artist
Aljohara Jeje
Artist
Artist Bio
(b. 1962, Heer, The Netherlands) is a multidisciplinary artist, currently living and making work in Saudi Arabia.
Aljohara’s extensive portfolio reflects her unwavering dedication to unravelling themes of identity, societal shifts, and environmental consciousness. Aljohara is the recipient of numerous accolades, including recognition from the UK Royal Photographic Society, the Saudi Ministry of Culture, and the Allard Photography Prize for International Integrity in Canada.
Artwork Description
Inspired by the experience of a young neighbour, Aljohara Jeje’s series ‘pəˈfɔːm(ə)ns’ (Performance) explores the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and its impact on the lives of women and girls who experience it.
Portraying women veiled and with pearls in their mouths, Jeje aims to throw a spotlight on those who are silenced by their community, unable to speak out, and thereby forced to live a performance. Presented in its phonetic form, the title becomes unintelligible, reiterating a lack of control and a sense of being stifled.
Speech equates to freedom. Language is cultivated over time, and words, rolling formed like pearls, are treasured. The pearls in Jeje’s images also represent the clitoris, a part of the body that should open up a world of pleasure but can become symbols of anguish and disenfranchisement.
