Love is the funeral pyre where the heart must lay its body, is a memorial to my grand-father who had a tumor on his shoulder, and bladder cancer for 25 years.
No matter how strong he fought, the weight of his cancer remained while his body slowly dissipated.
Whether it was in God, some other force or supreme being, he had faith. He wasn't afraid of death, he didn't believe it was the end of everything, but the beginning of something else
He prayed everyday:
O master of time / Ay saahebe zamaan
O owner of merciful time / Ay bakh-shandeye mehrabaan
I only worship you and / Tan-haa toa raa mi-parastam va
I ask you only for help / Tan-haa toa raa be koamak mitalabam
Guide me to the right path / Ma-raa beh raa-he raast hedaa-yat koan
After denying my Iranian origins for years, it was important for me to reconnect with my roots. That’s why I am giving a tribute to my grand-father who not only fought cancer but protected his family by leaving his homeland during the civil war in 1979, for a better and safer life.
Title: From a verse of the poem "Love is the funeral pyre" by Hafiz (Daniel Ladinsky)
The project was created during a residency at Casa Lü in Mexico City, May 2023.
It was also presented at Casa Lü (June 2023) and ARTCH (September 2023).