In the mid-19th century, German chemist Friedrich August Kekulé struggled to understand the structure of benzene. Reportedly, in 1861 he dreamt of a snake biting its own tail—an ancient symbol of cyclical renewal known as the ouroboros. This vision led to his groundbreaking discovery that benzene’s six round carbon atoms form a closed ring, laying the foundation for modern organic chemistry and the petrochemical industry.
While Kekulé’s revelation sparked unprecedented scientific and industrial progress, it also set humanity on a path deeply linked to fossil fuels and environmental risk. Reflecting on this legacy, Al Qadiri’s Ouroboros stems from both the seductive beauty and inherent dangers of the oil extraction industry. In this light, Kekulé’s dream is not only a scientific breakthrough but also a warning of self-destruction—one that resonates today amid the climate crisis driven by the very industry it helped create.