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<\/a>Farnaz Zabetian, “The Beginning, The End,” oil on canvas, 48″ x 60″<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
Zabetian paints the women of her native Iran<\/a>. Each face conveys a great depth of emotion and hints at a lifetime of experience. I felt a connection that grew stronger the more I looked at the paintings. <\/p>\n In \u201cThe Beginning, the End,\u201d an attractive woman stares at us. Her black dress strewn with small red roses has a tender femininity. Her red lips seen through the black floral veil are inviting but her eyes are distant. You can read in them a profound weariness and detachment. Her pretty face may be a mask that conceals her unhappiness. Zabetian has written a poem that accompanies this painting. Translated from Persian, it says \u201d I told my mother, it\u2019s all over. I said, it always happens before you think of it.\u201d Zabetian is concerned with the struggles of women in Middle Eastern<\/a> societies to fulfill the roles that are expected of them. In order to appear strong and capable, they can suffer great pain within. Her goal is to let us look into the interior of these brave women.<\/p>\n When I was in Paris<\/a>, I encountered a brave Middle Eastern woman who struggles with the expectations of society. It was in the movie \u201cWadjda<\/a>.\u201d Wadjda is a young Saudi<\/a> girl who dreams of having a bike and racing against her friend Abdullah. Wadjda\u2019s mother, with whom she has a warm relationship, rejects this scandalous idea. \u201cIf you ride a bike, you won\u2019t be able to have children,\u201d she warns her.<\/p>\n
\nOnly by looking into her eyes can we understand her true feelings. <\/p>\n