A Dialogue of Identity and Renewal Artist Statement / Conceptual Description: This work is a portrait of a Nigerian woman adorned with a traditional, culturally rooted necklace. Her head is encased in a transparent glass bowl — a symbolic reinterpretation of the Nowruz Haft-Sin goldfish bowl. Inside the bowl are key elements of the Iranian New Year tradition: apple, vinegar, sabzeh (sprouted greens), and a goldfish — each carrying deep meaning:
• Apple: a symbol of beauty and health
• Vinegar: a symbol of aging, experience, and acceptance of time
• Sabzeh: a symbol of rebirth, vitality, and connection to nature
• Goldfish: a symbol of life, movement, and renewal In this piece, the woman’s face gives way to a clear, luminous space — a moment of spiritual cleansing and stillness. This open space becomes a vessel for the emergence of a new face, one that is ready to enter a fresh season of life with the arrival of spring and Nowruz. The goldfish swimming toward this glowing space acts as a messenger of life and hope. It carries the energy of spring, flowing into the woman, preparing her for inner blossoming and renewal. This work is a poetic fusion of two cultures — Iranian and Nigerian — and a reflection of a woman’s readiness for a new beginning, in a moment where nature, time, and ritual breathe together.
