Bound to Hinderance by Pegah Samaie

“I was born and grew up in Tehran, Iran. My art moves through the shadow of my past life. I use art as a tool to face the experiences I and other women have encountered in a culture dominated by patriarchal governments and households. Bound to Hinderance shows a woman behind a screen. Her covered sense organs (eyes, ears, and mouth) are concealed behind the lace. This symbolizes the role of women in society, where men hold the majority of the power. Lace is a symbolic element in my paintings which refers to the wall separating women from the outside world. The wall is made from traditions that push women into the darkness, to their second-class status.” – Pegah Samaie