Interactiv Sculpture, 2021
120 x 120 x 3 cm
acrylic paint on plywood,
cord, metal, wooden pearls…
Drag the string 
Can you imagine???
This artwork is about how women are oppressed by men in the worst possible form: Female Genital Mutilation. The machinery of oppression is so deeply rooted in history and tradition of some countries that the cutting it self in most cultures is carried out and defended by genitally mutilated women themselfs. This is also reflected in the fact that mothers, who are fully aware of the consequences of this intervention, still take part in this tradition with pride for their girls and a big joyfull celebration. This fact also explains the title of my work.
Why – of all things – a Jumping Jack ?
I am aware that my choice of form of representation is controversial and provocative. But after I gave myself a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that this particular form sums up my message better than any other form of representation: A Jumping Jack figure is passive and externally determined. The figure is forced to move his limbs against his will, especially also to spread his legs, which was crucial for the drastic representation of my work.
In addition, there is a certain innocence and unawareness in the viewer when he first sees the work of art. The viewer thinks he knows what will happen if he pulls the string: the Jumping Jack gonna move and open his legs and gonna raise his arms – which is thus still an expected reaction from the sculpture. But only through the viewer’s interaction does it become absolutely awful visible: it seems that the viewer becomes the culprit, who performed this horrible act. The ignorance and the subsequent horror that the viewer feels reflects exactly the little girl´s feelings when, shortly before the cutting, she understands what is happening to her! This puts the viewer in the role of the victim. I know this is hard to take. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that my obvious presentation is in proportion to the cruelty of the subject. How are you going to do justice to something so horrible that happens to about 3.000.000 (!) girls each and every year (often those little ones are under 7 years old) with a moderate presentation?