This series is based on three stories from the epic book of poem SHAHNAMEH (The Book of the Kings) by the great Persian poet Ferdowsi . The poems are partly historical and partly mythical and play a big part in Persian identity.
I have chosen the birth of Zal and his childhood spent in the nest of the mythical bird Simourgh. The second piece is the love between Zal and Rudabeh and in my last piece I was influenced by how their son Rustam meets Tahmineh and their one night of love.
Biography
Afsoon is an Iranian born, London based artist. Occident and Orient coexist in her works which are multi layered and often combine text with images, using various media such as linocuts, photography, collage and etching. The results are rich and playful tableaux. She returns emotionally to her motherland via her work, which results from painstaking research into her chosen subject matter. Her works have been extensively exhibited and are found in prominent collections and in museums including The British Museum and Berger collection, among others. See more of her work at www.afsoon.co.uk