Throughout my childhood my mind was preoccupied with old men and especially old women’s beliefs and superstitions, as they passed them down through the centuries. I was able to see an unknown fear in their eyes, words and even in the wrinkles of their faces. At that time, their thoughts and words were like horror stories for me. But now, when I recall them, I can see that they had created a cocoon for themselves, to not to see the beauties of life.

Each painting is a plot point in a tale that many would rather not tell. It is the story of the repetitious actions that fill our daily lives.

My paintings are monochrome which represents the monotonies of feminine life which has spoiled the female society. Likewise, the backgrounds are abstract and do not clearly define the space that the women occupied because I wanted to show that this boredom from repetition springs from the work being done, not the environment in which the work is being done.

My paintings are covered with strings which are symbolic of binds of old beliefs and superstitions. Elements such as keys, thread and talisman show the transition of superstitious beliefs through the generations. The opposing humility of old beliefs and superstitions are shown by the position of the women in my works.

In some of my paintings the patterns on the women’s clothes blend together to make each woman’s form nearly indistinguishable from the other. Their dresses fuse together, forming one continuous shape that is shared across their bodies as they are all suffering the same ennui.

Shima Esfandiyari