MONIRA AL QADIRI
MONIRA AL QADIRI


2022, Glass sculptures

 

Benzene

Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil and is one of the elementary petrochemicals. A colourless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell, it is partially responsible for the aroma around petrol stations, and is thus classified as an ‘aromatic hydrocarbon.’

In this work, the scientific geometry of benzene's chemical compounds are rendered into glass sculptures, in order to highlight the grip that this perfumed molecule has on our lives. By contemplating it not as an invisible fuel source but as an object in front of our eyes, perhaps the power of its composition can be reframed as a fragile structure that can be broken at any moment, allowing us to imagine that someday it must be left behind.

Commissioned by Glasstress 2022 - Berengo Foundation


2022, Glass sculptures

 

Benzene

Benzene is a natural constituent of crude oil and is one of the elementary petrochemicals. A colourless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell, it is partially responsible for the aroma around petrol stations, and is thus classified as an ‘aromatic hydrocarbon.’

In this work, the scientific geometry of benzene's chemical compounds are rendered into glass sculptures, in order to highlight the grip that this perfumed molecule has on our lives. By contemplating it not as an invisible fuel source but as an object in front of our eyes, perhaps the power of its composition can be reframed as a fragile structure that can be broken at any moment, allowing us to imagine that someday it must be left behind.

Commissioned by Glasstress 2022 - Berengo Foundation