From "Write on Me" 2007

Samira Eskandarfar made this portrait as part of a series called “Write On Me”. It looks like it’s made with coloured pencils and I like how the medium makes it feel very intimate, like we’re seeing something very private. The palette is quite muted. The main thing that hits me are these ruby red lips! There’s also a ring of script around the subject’s head, like a halo or aura. It brings to mind the tradition of Persian poetry, which is often full of mystical and deeply personal feeling. I imagine Samira hunched over this drawing, carefully building the image with tiny strokes, almost like she's whispering secrets onto the page. The subject’s eyes are closed. Is she at peace, or is she shutting something out? Is this a self-portrait or a picture of someone she knows? I feel like the act of making a painting like this is like having a conversation with yourself and others. It is a continuous exchange of ideas and feelings across time.