My work | Effys Art

"God damn ghosts"

Oil on canvas

27cm x 22cm

"Shame"

Oil on canvas

30cm x 24cm

"colors of heart"

Oil on canvas

"Codependency"

Oil on board

90cm x 60cm

"Choices"

Oil on a sketchpaper

42cm x 29,5cm

"Child of Gaia"

Oil on canvas

24cm x 18cm

"Me and my body"

Oil on canvas

24cm x 33cm

"Stop to FGM"

Oil on canvas

40cm x 30cm

FMG = Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice has no health benefits for girls and women and cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.The practice of FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. (WHO)

I am a nurse and during my studies I took a part to womens health -course. In one lesson our teacher told us a true story that he had faced when working as a midwife. He told us that once, when he was working, there was a lady (originally from Africa) coming to give a birth to her first child. The midwife was about to do an examination to see the situation of the labor, when he noticed that this lady had went through FMG. Her vagina had been sewn almost shut and her clitoris had been cut off. There was only a tiny hole left open for urine and blood. This made the midwife think, that how had it been possible for this lady to get pregnant? Midwife asked:" I am sorry to ask, but how did you manage to get pregnant, while been sewn shut?". The lady told that yes, when she was a kid, her parents took her to this ceremony, where her genital parts were mutilated. She grew older and got married. Before the wedding night, she had never even touched herself in the private areas. On their wedding night the husband tore her open in order to have vaginal sex. And after that night, every single time when the husband wanted to have sex, he had to torn her open, because when she healed the parts grew back together. She said that she was lucky, because she passed out every time this happend. She passed out because of the pain, but that way she didn't have to feel the pain during the sex. Now in a hospital she got a "reopening" surgery. After this surgery she was able to finally heal in a right way, so that her vaginal parts stayed open. She was very happy about this.

After hearing this story, I was filled with rage. This anger, I didn't know what to do with it, so I painted the situation that this lady described. I wanted to make this story visible. I wanted to make her pain and the injustice she had faced visible. It was something that really happened and it is something that STILL happens in some countries. By making people to be aware of the negative health and mental effects of FMG, we might be able to change the way that people see the FMG and that way eventually put an end to it.