In the series Hafriyat (meaning: excavation) Ramadan fabric, layered with gold, and black paint are used in the paintings to reference cotton, gold, and oil. Throughout the history of colonization, these resources were and continue to be factors in the exploitation of countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The common thread that ties these continents together is the systematic tool of erasure that ensured the enslavement of the native. The settler erased the native’s history, culture, and language. Ultimately, he erased their humanity. In this series the act of erasure becomes a method that identifies the painting. By physically removing the layers of paint I allow the viewer to recognize and acknowledge the painting. In this context the process of erasure becomes a form liberation for the native, rather than a form of oppression.