Her Holeyness (2017)
Royal College of Art Graduate Show



In this project, Eman Ali takes a critical look at the commercial representation of femininity and the notion of the virgin in Arabic culture and beyond. Through an immersive installation that incorporates sound, photography, and light, Ali explores the performance of gender and the idea of the female body as a commodity that must be continually cleaned, purified, and maintained.

In a bold and playful reinterpretation of the region, the artist uses the visual languages of advertising and tourism and applies them to the female body itself, showcasing the absurdity of commercial products that promise to "revirginize" a woman. The project also includes text based works that use appropriated text from feminine product packaging to explore the transformation of meaning through word manipulation. This body of work offers a unique perspective on the commercialization of femininity and the notion of the virgin, challenging viewers to rethink their own perceptions and beliefs.


1: God’s Cuntry.

2: Amulet (Artifical Hymen Pills).

3: Imitation of Mary.

4: Her Holeyness (Amrita). Artist's Menstrual Blood.

5: Eman Virginity Soap.