SHIMA ESFANDIYARI
Artist's statement
In my childhood my mind was involved with old men and especially old women’s beliefs and superstitions, as they passed down to them through the centuries. I was able to see an unknown fear in their eyes, words and even in the wrinkles of their faces.
At those times, their thoughts and words were like horror stories for me. But now, when I recall them, I can see how they had made a cocoon for themselves for not to see the beauties of life.
As a woman, I am worried of our anti-feminine society, which affects my artworks.
Women, as a symbol of natural beauty are humiliated in this culture, which doesn’t belong to a special era or place, this masculine culture during centuries has denied them.
My paintings are covered with stripes which are symbolic of binds of old beliefs and superstitions.
My paintings are monochrome which represents a forbidden beauty in our rusted culture and monotonies of feminine life which has spoiled the female society.
Black dots and dirt in my works represent feminine guilt which has destroyed the female society.
The most spectacular element in my paintings is women's hair, which used to be a symbol of women’s beauty, and has been attacked and invaded and are shown by scissors, stuck and covered, these are women in slavery.
Elements like needles, thread and talisman are showing the transition of superstitious beliefs through the generations.
My figures' heads are covered with plastic bags with a cross on it which means we should cover and deny our beauty.
The opposed humility of old beliefs and superstitions are shown by position of the women in my works.
This series is called “Maturity” because women's maturity is the starting point of their slavery.
