Niloufar Kasbi

To Be, or Not to Be: This Is the Story! (Once Upon a Time?!)

Courage is a word we consider synonymous with boldness (audacity?!). However, each one of these words may have their own negative or positive connotations/denotations in their own sociocultural and psychological milieu. For example, we could consider courage as a more rational ethos with a more lasting impact than brashness which could be the fruit of a momentary reflex. Even courage could include some concepts such as the uncensored enunciation of whatever we hide behind all that is vile. Therefore, it could be reasonable to regard honesty as courage and lies as indecent and despicable, and suppose that lies prevent us from recognizing the truth. Nonetheless, we should know that we conceal ourselves daily among many fake layers in the way the others want us: Thick patina of make-up, clothes that are representative of our sociocultural class and cuts in our body in the name of cosmetic surgeries. So, this diurnal camouflage is a part of the truth. Lies are not lesser than rectitude in most cases and are in fact a manifestation of the reality of our lives.

I portrayed people at whom we look from beyond their veils and hold them as beautiful whereas a large part of their being is left behind their masks…