In this piece, I wanted to paint my mother as a presence rather than a portrait. I painted a tree as her presence: it stands upright, holds fruit, and still shows its roots. I wanted the roots visible, because they’re the foundation of love and lineage.
The space around the tree references the idea of the Garden of Heaven- a garden beneath which rivers flow. Behind the tree, the ajrak textile becomes heritage - a quiet architecture of belonging, and it sits like a backdrop of identity.
There are ribbons that move toward my hand- my hand - as if I’m holding onto where I come from, or maybe being held by it. And at the bottom, behind the geometric patterned layer, there’s the orange light of sunrise or sunset, a moment between beginnings and endings. It’s about staying rooted, even as life keeps moving.