Girl with the Pearl Earring Recontextualization, 2024

Recontextualization of Girl with a Pearl Earring with Fulani women from Mali.

Using tchoodi (black lips) women's symbol of beauty and courage are black lips tattoos. They uphold a “Tchoodi” ceremony that is a cultural identity and ritual performed exclusively by women and the tradition serves as a right of passage, a sign that girls have achieved womanhood.

The style of the Fulani earring is called bhoylé. Fulani earrings have been worn by Fulani women for centuries as a symbol of wealth, status, and beauty. These earrings are often passed down from generation to generation, carrying with them stories and memories from the past.