This painting is a self-portrait that explores themes of intrusion, identity, and cultural pressure. At the center of the composition is my own face, partially obscured by numerous hands reaching in from different directions. These hands symbolize the invasive questions, judgments, and unsolicited opinions that I often face. Only one of my eyes remains visible, conveying both a sense of exposure and resistance.

The face and hands are surrounded by the ornate border of a Persian carpet, framing the central image as if it's emerging from within it. The carpet references my Iranian heritage—rich, traditional, and often beautiful, yet also a symbol of the cultural framework that feels confining and invasive.

The inspiration for this piece came from a moment when one of my aunts asked another aunt whether I was gay—not to me directly, but behind my back. I found this type of curiosity not only inappropriate, but deeply übergriffig—a German word meaning overstepping, intrusive, or crossing boundaries. It reflects a wider cultural behavior where people feel entitled to probe into personal matters without consent, especially when it comes to topics of identity and private life.

What struck me most was the double standard: no one ever asks my brother if he's sleeping with anyone. Yet, as a queer person, I am constantly under scrutiny—questioned, speculated about, talked over. This painting channels the emotional weight of those experiences. It’s about how it feels to be seen and yet not truly seen, to be constantly framed by others' assumptions and expectations.
Through this work, I also reflect on the persistent cultural norms I’ve tried to distance myself from. Even in Germany, far from Iran, I continue to encounter this pervasive need to interfere, to comment, to judge—especially within the community. Everyone seems to feel entitled to a piece of your story, even when it's not theirs to take.