It seems that my life has been a constant
dichotomy. Father versus daughter, Islam versus Christianity, science
versus art. I was told to be a well rounded person; I had to embrace both
aspects of life. This was a difficult task; one I am still struggling
with today. My father seems to be responsible for these factions. This
perhaps is the most important reason why most of my artwork revolves around
our relationship. If I can understand this man and his mannerisms, I can
patch this dissection of my life. Growing up with my father has been a
ceaseless struggle. He invariably pushed me towards science and medicine.
I strove for art and creation. My final decision to be an artist set up
the arena for our battle of wills. I chose the boxing ring as a metaphor
for our arguments. After a year of working on this project, we have seemed
to come to terms with each other. Neither side winning, both accepting
the other. Ironically, after our battle of science and art ended, I began
to miss my science background. Slowly it was incorporated back into my
art. In my recent work, I am trying to combine these two elements. With
the embellishment of sequins and beads on science, I am mending, stitch
by stitch, my internal struggle.
Mina Heshmatpour
