Ilgara (The Home of My Eyes) 2015

This is a black and white photograph by Shirin Neshat, called "Ilgara (The Home of My Eyes)." Neshat is looking right at you with an expression that's both vulnerable and strong. Her hands are clasped, protectively, at the center of her chest. I wonder what it felt like for her to be in front of the camera, deciding how much to reveal. Photography, like painting, can make visible the invisible and hold so much emotion in a single, still moment. The light and shadow play across Neshat’s face remind me of Rembrandt, the way he built up layers of paint to find the inner light. The texture of the image seems to vibrate. You can see Neshat's other photographic works share similar themes of identity, displacement, and the search for belonging. It’s like artists across time are having a conversation, you know? Each one adding their own brushstroke, or in this case, click of the shutter, to the ongoing story of what it means to be human.