UNCENSORABLE, EUPHORIA, 2024 (public project)
MOUNTAINVIEW GALLERY/FUHRWERKSWAAGE, COLOGNE, GERMANY
29 JUNE – 24 AUGUST 2024
UNCENSORABLE (SERIES)
Uncensorable is a provocative mosaic panel series that can be seen as an amusing reversal of oppression. By employing ceramic tiles—a timeless material and staple of Islamic art—the series challenges cultural constraints and confronts censorship in all its forms. It began as a response to state-enforced restrictions in Middle Eastern countries and has since expanded to explore broader suppressions of expression—whether imposed by government, religion, society, or internalized through self-censorship.
The mosaicing technique is used to “censor” the very things society tries to hide—such as two individuals sharing an intimate kiss or even a politically charged poem—thereby confronting societal and gender norms, as well as the censorship of literature, dissenting voices, and expressions of identity. These works celebrate the resilience of personal freedom and the enduring strength of human connection.
Each piece flirts with the act of concealment, using playfulness as a strategy to bring visibility to desire, freedom of love, freedom of speech, and the freedom of being.
UNCENSORABLE, EUPHORIA
Uncensorable, Euphoria (2024) belongs to a group of works within the Uncensorable series that capture public displays of affection, depicting intimate kisses between individuals of various genders and sexual orientations. Seemingly a random scene, like those found in Berlin's celebrated club and nightlife scene, it invites viewers to join the artist’s personal journey of liberation through societal conventions and self-censorship.
By mosaicing these intimate moments, the artist transforms raw affection into something both fragmented and precious, highlighting how even liberated spaces can be affected by societal norms, and stigma. The works serve as a joyful protest against the repression of queer love and bodily autonomy, while also acting as a visual diary of fleeting yet powerful moments of connection that resist conformity and celebrate the freedom to express love.
The work was installed outdoors as a public artwork at Mountainview Gallery in Cologne, Germany, visible to the local neighborhood and passersby. It depicts a chain of people kissing, subtly referencing a scene of collective intimacy. In this public setting, the work’s censoring takes on an added twist, confronting societal taboos. This installation invites viewers to reflect on freedom, intimacy, and the visibility of love, transforming the artwork into not just an artistic piece but a statement within the community.