2003-2023, 20 Years of Freedom : Freedom Fries/ Freedom Kiss/ Freedom Nails/ Freedom Toast
Ceramic sculpture

This work revisits the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath through the lens of language and cultural symbolism.

The entry point is the term “freedom fries,” coined in the United States as a politically motivated renaming of French fries during the build-up to the war.

From this phrase, the artist expands the investigation to other English expressions containing the word French—such as French toast, French kiss, and French nails—demonstrating how seemingly ordinary words can reveal layers of humor, irony, and critique.

The ceramic sculptures, modeled after neon signs, further complicate this play between attraction and disillusionment. They mimic the glow of advertising yet remain permanently unlit, underscoring the gap between representation and reality.

Taken together, the works examine how language can shift meaning in moments of political tension, becoming a subtle site of power, perception, and everyday symbolism. This exploration continues in the painting Freedom Fries Strategist (2025).