“Conviction” is a series of works I created as an homage to the brave, amazing women in political prisons in Iran.

The series is comprised of paintings and video.

The paintings of garments represent clothing worn by specific women, some of whom have been since released with conditions, some are still held captive.

I directed a 15-minute video remotely, filmed in Iran, showing the handmade crafts made by women in the infamous Evin prison in Tehran. I’ve been collecting these meaningful pieces for the past few years.

As the handmade objects themselves are in Iran, I’ve created several paintings of them, as a way of transporting their essence here for us to feel and keep.

Beauty and pain can co-exist in a strange space in our minds, where we can experience both simultaneously, and without contradiction. In that moment we feel our deepest emotions, we are moved to both elation and sorrow, where we are touched by our own raw humanity.

Through art, I hope to help grow an expanding mycelium of collective consciousness that can lead to freeing them all.