Sahar        Tarighi

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In the mountains of Kurdistan, where the landscapes meet the souls of the people, the vertebrae transcend their biological meaning—they become the backbone of a resilient spirit, much like the Kurdish Kolbars who bear the weight of survival against all odds, navigating treacherous paths and borders that fracture their homeland. In this work, the contradiction between the rigidity of political borders and the delicate, yet unyielding nature of the Kolbars and Şiler (the Crown Imperial) flower becomes the central metaphor. It is a struggle woven through the land, embodying both enduring strength and vulnerability.

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​The Şiler, a flower native to the highlands of Kurdistan, is also a feminine Kurdish name that holds profound cultural significance. It stands as a symbol of both sorrow and rebirth. Its petals, bowed as though in mourning, are yet filled with defiance—a tribute to the martyrs. A Kurdish poem says that wherever a red Şiler blooms, it grows with the blood of martyrs, carrying the weight of collective memory. The Şiler is a living testament to the unbroken cycle of grief and hope, enduring through seasons of loss while embodying the resilience of the Kurdish people. At the heart of this piece, the Şiler stands—unbowed despite the weight of its legacy. It is both an emblem of grief and a symbol of hope that is continually reborn.

This installation draws upon this duality—the vertebrae and Şiler—to encapsulate a timeless narrative. The vertebrae symbolize the physical and emotional strength of those who carry the stories of the oppressed, while the Şiler, in its fragility and beauty, reflects the enduring hope that rises from the ashes of struggle, forming a nuanced yet resolute structure that honors the resilience of the Kurdish spirit. The work seeks to capture the layered beauty of resistance—a celebration of a spirit that persists beyond boundaries, rooted in a land that has withstood the test of time. In each curve of the vertebrae and each petal of the Şiler, there is a testament to the Kurdish identity—a resistance that cannot be extinguished, a heritage that cannot be erased.