My Most Precious أعز ما أملك

By Bayan Abdullateef

This work appears in Khabar Keslan Issue 1. DISORIENT

These series were inspired by a personal experience that is very relatable to many girls. At around the age of twelve, one of my teachers said to me:  “A girl’s honor is like a matchstick.” In other words, once a girl had been ‘used,’ she would immediately lose her worth. Years later I realized how destructive that comment was. I began paying attention to all the times that girls were compared to consumable objects: diamonds, pearls, flowers, fruits, candy, pens, cigarettes, and so forth. I was particularly interested in deconstructing what such analogies signify in terms of how we think of women within society. 

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My Most Precious (Cigarettes no.1).jpg
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Bayan Abdullateef was born in 1993 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2015, she graduated with a BA in Graphic Design from Dar Al Hekma University in Jeddah. Currently, she is a freelance designer and a visual artist. During my time of study I learned that graphic design and visual arts are a powerful tool that can help in shedding light and raising questions that could eventually lead to changing minds and influencing others. In my work, I almost exclusively focus on things that frustrate me, as an outlet for me and in order to participate in a wider conversation. 

FanOmar AlhashaniSaudi Arabia, Bayan Abdullateef