This work was created as part of the Rainbow Wool Project, an LGBTIQ charity pro bono action. I am honored to be the first artist to use the rainbow wool material for this initiative. The project's idea is quite unique: a German shepherd in NRW has bought and gathered all the gay sheep in Germany, providing them with a new safe home. The wool from these sheep is then used to produce the first-ever fashion designs made of gay wool. This project is a meaningful charity effort, and I am proud to be a part of it.
The painting I created is a self-portrait, intended to portray queer individuals, especially in countries like Iran, where I am originally from. In Iran, being homosexual can sometimes be punished by the government, with the worst cases resulting in a death sentence.
With my work, I process my very personal journey and feelings. It is a self-portrait of my internal struggle with myself and society. At the same time, it is something that can pull you down very quickly, but also something you can rise above. Accepting and unfolding yourself as you truly are is a metamorphosis that is beautiful to witness. It is more beautiful than a thousand butterflies emerging. Something so powerful that it is hard to put into words. And something I simply wish for all people.