If You See A Cypress… is an exhibition comprised of works in diverse techniques including painting, drawing, and intaglio printmaking referencing the distinct psychological and psychosocial effects of living under political oppression in a metaphorical structure. I have used metaphor to capture the creation of uncommon perspectives and circumstances by challenging viewers with new visual experiences. It became a perfect structure for me to transform sociopolitical events into poetic allegories.

In this project, I have used the image of a cypress tree as a cultural and mythological signifier, along with other elements of the landscape such as mountains, rocks, cliffs, and water, to metaphorically embody the suffering, pain, wounds, and despair of living in an oppressive environment.

The process of working on this project required me to push myself in experimenting with different techniques in order to find the one most suitable for the ideas behind each piece and be receptive to every possibility that benefits me in conveying my ideas. The paintings are painted on different substrates such as canvas, paper, and wood panel. Painting on different substrates, I seek to explore the various qualities of each ground along with the different visual experiences that each surface creates for viewers.