"While my first piece mapped resilience onto the human face, this still life explores its collective intimacy. On a block of raw Nyiragongo basalt, the metal of war surrenders to the sovereign flora of Kivu. A grenade cracks open like a ripe fruit, protecting the treasures of the DRC—gold and coltan—whose covetousness sparks violence but conceals an invaluable inner strength. From this armor, life bursts forth: the coffee plant recalls the fertility of the soil, while the hibiscus and giant lobelia deploy their stubborn vulnerability. Dominant in this sanctuary, a majestic sunbird perches on the blazing erythrina; its iridescent feathers embody the living beauty that feeds on this land's riches. The choice of soft pastel, by its powdery nature, creates a deliberate paradox with the hardness of iron. It expresses the sensitivity of a people who, forged in fire, preserve their infinite capacity to rebirth beauty from the ashes."