Collaborative Mural Project with Skaped & The Vagina Museum
On Bodily Autonomy, Collective Identity & the Feminine: My Commissioned Artwork for the Ode to Gy(n)a Exhibition at the Vagina Museum
‘Ode to Gy(n)a’ (December 2024 to March 2025), is a bold, thought-provoking mini-exhibition exploring bodily empowerment. Created by Safia Aminah Sheikh, Soraya Saber, Tireni, and myself, Kandre Arámidẹ Hassan, this project was supported by Skaped and the Vagina Museum. It challenges historical views of women’s bodies, reframing them as powerful vessels for autonomy and seeks to spark vital conversations around femininity, gender, solidarity, and liberation—topics I have long been passionate about. But, It is also a celebration of the vagina, not just as a biological organ, but as a symbol of so much more.
I’ve always been fascinated by the intersections of culture and the deeply personal, yet universally shared experiences that shape collective identities. So when I was invited to contribute to a commissioned group project for the Vagina Museum, I felt both excitement and a deep sense of responsibility. As we developed this vibrant exhibition, exchanging our unique perspectives, I found myself reflecting on the profound power of our bodies—their histories and their role in shaping broader cultural narratives.
pin wall of the exhibition where visitors can share thoughts, express feelings and respond to what bodily autonomy means to them
a section of the exhibition featuring the qoute ‘ I am not free while any woman is unfree’ - Audre Lorde
final stages of making the mural
The Dualities of Reclaiming the Body
As I approached this commission, revisiting the nuances of my own artwork became an opportunity to consider how the vagina has been portrayed throughout history and deep dive into it’s significance as one of the most complex and loaded symbols we carry in our collective psyche. Its representations of power and vulnerability, oppression and liberation, taboo and reverence was reiterated during our guided tour of the Museum’s gynaecological activism section. From vulva pillows to the march of the red umbrellas, it became clear that duality has always been a core theme in these historical discussions - and so, it too had to become central to my creative exploration.
Drawing from feminist theory and anthropological concepts of gender and embodiment, when we first started to conceptualize mural designs, I wanted to engage with these dualities in a way that felt both personal and universal. So, as we laid down our paint and made our brushstrokes, it felt as though each mark—each swirl, curve, and gesture—was an act of breaking through the silence that has so often surrounded the female form, while simultaneously embracing its beauty, power, and capacity for unapologetic empowerment and transformative change.
Honoring Past Generations, Embracing Future Possibilities
What struck me most as we worked on this piece was the deep sense of interconnectedness with both past and present generations of women, and the recognition of the struggles fought to claim ownership over our bodies. There is something deeply powerful about the idea that our efforts today build upon the foundations laid by those who came before us, so the mural, in many ways, pays tribute to figures found in academic studies, folklore, and mythology, such as the "Mothers of Gynaecology," Gaia, and Mother Nature. These women and symbols have shaped a collective, resilient voice in the ongoing struggle for bodily autonomy, while also creating space for future generations to thrive.
In this sense, Ode to Gy(n)a is not a depiction of an individual body but of collective identity. The work is deliberately playful—quirky, even—an invitation for viewers to question the rigid boundaries of traditional portrayals of women’s bodies, and to appreciate the depth and intersectionality of our shared experiences.
Final Quirks & Reflections
Working on this project has been eye-opening. Contributing to a space like the Vagina Museum, which challenges traditional narratives and amplifies marginalized voices, has been a deeply affirming experience. It has also allowed me to reflect on my own artistic practice. The project’s curatorial vision aligns closely with my own anthropological approach: celebrating diversity, challenging societal norms, and fostering spaces for introspection and empathy.
In a world that often reduces the vagina to a mere biological organ or an object of controversy, Ode to Gy(n)a provides a space for exploring these complex themes with depth and respect. It reminds us of the importance of creating spaces where open, honest conversations about bodies, gender, and identity can take place. The project also offers a platform for artists like myself to reflect not only on the present, but on the historical legacies that have shaped our collective experiences. Through these reflections, we have the opportunity to reshape our understanding, and hopefully inspire future generations to continue the work of liberation and self-determination.
I hope that my contribution to this incredible project invites viewers to reflect on their own relationships with their bodies, identities, and histories.
