This body of work emerged during the isolation of quarantine, a period when the familiar became unfamiliar and the mundane gained profound meaning. These pieces capture the angst, introspection, and surreal energy of navigating turbulent times, reflecting deeply personal experiences while resonating with a broader collective unease.
BEARDED LADIES, 2020
Mixed Media on Wood Panel
45”x23”
This piece reflects on the performance of femininity and the pressures to conform to beauty standards, heightened by the isolation of lockdown. As in-person interactions gave way to curated online personas, the significance of digital presentation grew, amplifying the tension between personal agency and societal expectations. The work captures the rituals of self-presentation, exploring how the constraints of lockdown magnified both the desire to connect and the burden to conform.
The Sickness, 2020
Acrylic on canvas
25”x21.5”
A figure, captured both intimate and distant, navigates surreal yet mundane surroundings to explore the performance of identity during a time when human connection was confined to virtual spaces. This piece delves into themes of longing and disconnection, examining how individuals adapted to new realities while concealing their struggles. It captures the delicate balance between resilience and vulnerability experienced in isolation.
TWEETTWEET, 2021
Collage
16”x20”
The dining table becomes a symbolic space where the rituals of daily life collide with unsettling realities. This juxtaposition of opulence and rawness mirrors the tension of seeking normalcy in the face of uncertainty. The piece also examines common fears and assumptions within the North American public about the virus’s origins, creating a visual dialogue about misinformation, cultural bias, and collective anxiety.
No Go Go, 2020
Hand Printed on Hand-Made Paper
45”x23”
Even seemingly trivial elements, such as a notice about pet waste, become powerful symbols of the frustrations and tensions simmering beneath the surface of everyday life. In the heightened emotional and social climate of quarantine, these fragments, often overlooked, take on new significance. This work reflects the strain on communal spaces and the challenges of maintaining civility and shared responsibilities during a time of isolation.
A Brief Reflection During a Time of Uncertainty, 2021
Oil on Panel
16”x20”
This work transforms intimate domestic spaces, like reflections in mirrors, into layered narratives that explore fractured identities and the solitude of confinement. The peeled fruit and reflective surfaces blur the lines between subject and observer, offering a meditation on introspection and the ways quarantine reframed the familiar.
This collection captures the absurdity, dissonance, and perseverance of living through quarantine. As a whole, it serves as a visual diary of a world turned inward. It invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences and discover connections within the imagery and emotions of the works, each offering a unique entry point into the shared turbulence of the times.
~Kimia Ghofrani
