A Look at Dr. Sara Jafari’s Collection at Haft Samar Gallery

"Each time we look at the world, it is recreated anew." This quote by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the phenomenologist philosopher, aptly reflects the essence of Dr. Sara Jafari’s latest art collection.

Dr. Jafari’s new exhibition, titled Speaking to You of the Moon, invites viewers to embark on an evocative journey through her symbolic and deeply personal world. This collection, which represents six years of artistic exploration, offers paintings imbued with emotion and meaning through a poetic perspective on nature, femininity, and imagination.

An acclaimed Iranian artist and university professor with a distinguished background in visual arts and degrees from Sorbonne and Strasbourg universities, Jafari delves into themes of identity and aesthetics in her work. What makes this collection particularly unique, however, is her profound connection to the moon—a symbol of imagination and a mirror reflecting the shifting emotions of her life.

In this series, four central elements—moon, tree, bird, and woman—come together within minimalist geometric spaces and harmonized color palettes. The female figure, a recurring motif, represents the essence of human roots, seemingly intertwined with nature itself. These women are not merely observers of nature but intrinsic parts of the cosmos.

The feminine faces, evoking the identity of Iranian women, emerge from the geometric compositions with a blend of softness and strength. Their presence is at once serene and transcendent. Whether nestled within tranquil surfaces or juxtaposed against the sharp edges of triangles, they maintain their beauty and grace. Through these elements, the artist transforms her lived experiences into a metaphorical visual language, emphasizing the intrinsic bond between humanity and nature.

The moon, a recurring element, transcends its simple symbolic role. It represents a legacy—a deep connection Jafari shares with her father, Mohammad Ebrahim Jafari, a renowned Iranian poet and painter. In the artist’s statement, she recounts a night during the pandemic when she returned to her childhood home and lay on the bed her father once used. Gazing at the sky, the moon seemed to reveal her father’s secrets, offering her a profound sense of peace and an intimate glimpse into the infinite beauty of existence.

Trees and birds, which feature prominently in her work, symbolize continuity and freedom. Trees, with their branches reaching skyward and roots grounding them in the earth, serve as metaphors for the connection between past and present. Birds, on the other hand, embody freedom and hope, gliding between reality and imagination, as if carrying untold messages. Together with the female figure and the moon, these natural elements form a network of meaning that invites deep reflection on humanity’s bond with the natural world.

Colours play a powerful narrative role in Jafari’s work. Her intelligent use of warm and cool tones creates a balance of harmony and contrast. Blues evoke calm and depth, while reds and oranges express warmth and passion. Not just decoration, those colours become a visual language to express emotions and inner movements of the soul. The imagination runs rampant in this collection, breaking down barriers of thought in order to build a world without end. It makes her works not only more desirable but can also tell stories about emotions through visual aesthetics.

What sets this collection apart is the seamless integration of poetry alongside the paintings. Jafari bridges the gap between word and image by incorporating personal poems and memories. These verses, displayed alongside her works, act as a bridge, connecting the audience’s emotions to her visual world. The interplay between text and form creates a multi-dimensional experience where each word and each color engage in a symbiotic dialogue. Her poems, like murmurs of childhood memories and lost moments, simultaneously pose a profound question: how can one find poetic balance amidst life’s fluctuations?

Speaking to You of the Moon is a journey inward and outward—from memories of her father and his artistic legacy to the re-creation of a world where art becomes a means of overcoming challenges. These works are not only a personal narrative but an invitation to all who seek new meanings of beauty and identity. Through this collection, Jafari reminds us that looking at the moon is, in essence, a reflection upon oneself—a reminder of those parts of our being that, though often forgotten amid the clamor of life, await rediscovery.

January 2, 2025