‘Endurance is a Flower’ deals with the notions of movement, migration and survival.

These broad and global experiences are intimately observed through the story of Rabia, a strong-headed woman whom the artist met at the Saint Denis market during his work on the installation. Originally an immigrant from Algeria, Rabia has been working as a jewelry and cosmetics merchant in the market for the past 30 years, and has become an integral part of its ecosystem and human fabric.

After managing to escape an abusive marriage and a life in which she felt she was disappearing and diminishing, she set out on a insubmissive journey to bui

ld a new life with her 3 children, eventually arriving in France. After living through colonization and cultural disparity she demanded to create and realize her own destiny and create a home for herself.

In times when xenophobia is highly prevalent, Rabia refuses to be discouraged; she insists on multiculturalism as a way to enrich our shared realities. Imbuing her work with meaning, Rabia finds ways to enable cultural exchange through the jewelry items she sells, that come from various origins and are sold to a diverse clientele.

This installation attempts to embody what we as humans do in order to adapt, persevere and even more so, flourish in the face of circumstance that at times demand that we do otherwise.

Through the spirit of Rabia’s story, this work ushers for empathy over pragmatism, and encourages to reflect on how our fears can be transformed into new imaginaries.

‘Endurance is a Flower’ was shown as part of the group exhibition Super Terram curated by Gael Lefeuvre in association with Fondation Desperados that took place in Paris, 2023.

Photos by Matteo Berardone