Sara Soleimani

I was born into a liberal family known for its modern values. I was one with nature and free from prejudice. Yet, as I grew up, my childhood seemed to be the exception, not the rule?? in Iran's still patriarchal society. A society where men felt entitled to do as they pleased, practicing the rights that came with their nature and a fascist regime that supported them. A sense of superiority over women that led to many unnoticed abuses. A society full of social contradictions and tension.
The transition from a vibrant and colorful childhood, shielded from the darkness, to the “real world” is reflected in my work. The first series features my youth: innocence, peace, and a sense of oneness with nature, which changes to a world full of vice, conflict, and destruction.
The second series shows the inner conflicts and contradictions in humans illustrated by deformed creatures: Nas Nas (Persian mythical creatures) who have lost their limbs because of their evil deeds. So, the works present a “world full of humans who are weaving a noose to put around your neck while hugging you,” in the words of the Iranian poet Forough Farokhzad.
Still, vibrant colors and life are prominent in both series, showing my trust in human nature's ultimate good. A refusal to accept that all is lost. A hope that deep down, humans' good nature will prevail and make the world colorful again.