In my series, Not All Women Got Breasts, I navigate themes of identity, loss, and fear. A central element in these works is the lemon, which serves as a symbolic stand-in for the breast. In Persian culture and folklore, the lemon holds layered meanings—its brightness suggests vitality, yet its acidic nature hints at pain. Here, it embodies both femininity and its absence, confronting the tensions of selfhood and societal expectations.
Each piece in this series explores the unease of losing a part of oneself, or of existing in a space where one’s identity does not conform. The act of holding a lemon—grasping, offering, or hesitating—becomes a metaphor for negotiating presence and absence, for claiming space even in the face of fear. Through this visual language, I invite viewers to reflect on the fragility and resilience embedded within the body’s narrative.
