2022, CollectIve ReflectIon, Trabzon GIrls Monetary

Artist: Shirin Abedinirad

Mirrors, which frequently appear in contemporary artworks, are far beyond just reflective surfaces; they are symbols that embrace metaphors, depicting awareness and self-identity in poetic expressions. In her practice, Shirin Abedinirad addresses topics such as identity, the perception of reality, mysticism, and gender inequality through the optical illusions she creates in Collective Reflection, with mirrors placed in various geometric sizes and forms in natural spaces around the world.

Despite their seemingly simple form, mirrors, which are challenging to work with in the production process, are reflective surfaces that not only provide pure reflections but also show everything surrounding and enclosing our selves, presenting reality in different forms to the viewer. The image of the mirror, frequently present in the compositions of René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, is reimagined in Abedinirad's works in a different way but based on the same logic, facilitating illusions both mentally and spatially. Just like the "Pyramid," a fractal geometric form, each installation carefully calculated to create a cubist deconstruction of the image. The viewer's encounter with their own reflection in the mirrors references the moment of ego formation, known in psychoanalysis as the "Mirror Stage," introduced by the famous theorist Jacques Lacan. According to Lacan, the discovery of the self can only occur after an eight-month-old child sees its reflection in a mirror, leading to self-awareness. Abedinirad's fragmented images created with elements from nature and the viewers’ reflections prompt us to question both the formation of the ego and our potential to reach a pure self by transcending it.

Mirrors, which adhere to strong structural frames while being interlocked on the delicate texture of a historical space, appear as concrete forms of the poetic expression of the Sufi philosopher Rumi, whose philosophy the artist has been fascinated by for years. According to Rumi, the way to reach the sky is only through the heart. And so it is... The viewers of the exhibition, witnessing the collective reflections, embark on a journey toward their pure selves, but only if it comes from the heart.

The Iranian-born artist metaphorically holds up a mirror to the reality of societal inequalities caused by the identities and imposed responsibilities assigned to women in patriarchal societies. She challenges the belief, encoded in the collective memory of her homeland’s myths and traditions, that women should lower their heads, with her work Evocation. This mirror, placed on the floor of the church, reflects the sky and resists this tradition. The artist, by laying the sky beneath the viewer’s feet, also sends a message of unity, solidarity, and productivity, including the celebration of International Women's Day.

In the secret of the 11 steps to "Heaven"...

The piece of paper you hold is much more than a conceptual roadmap for deciphering the works you will experience within Collective Reflection... It also sheds light on the resolution of a mystery. During the curatorial process, many random occurrences within the Girls' Monastery are witnessed through Heaven On Earth, an installation placed on the steps of the elegant bell tower, allowing us to witness optical illusions and entirely different views, while delivering mystical messages. The number 11, symbolizing spiritual strength and awakening in numerology, takes us to the roots of Mina's Children movement, in memory of the Eleven productive women who have departed from among us. The 11 steps, where the clouds and light blend into the sky, are placed as a reflection of Heaven on Earth in the historical Girls' Monastery. Of course, only those who believe from the heart can touch the sky.

Text by Ayca Okay