Unknown Women is a created chronicle showing a rediscovery of the women of Persia and their journey in history into today. My inspiration comes from women of all cultures and their role in politics, religion, and sexuality in repressive societies.
The inspiration to create a powerful reflection of who these women are comes from my own experiences of women in Persian art, poetry, ritual performances, and historical photographs.
This process of looking at time and place allows me to imagine the event. I often have been credited with being in touch with my characters through my work. I reinvent these female characters in a new and challenging way in my mixed media paintings, installations, sculpture, and animation films. The intention of my work is to open a dialogue where the audience can share their own thoughts, feelings, and memories; allowing the stories in my pieces to expand. The questions left unanswered about these women allows for more imagination to shape the stories in my work.
The strength and power behind these women is what makes them a well-defined part of the fullness of time.
- Afarin Rahmanifar on Unknown Women