- This photo is a self portrait. So this is me. So you can see the eye resemblance. So, and this photo is inspired by my friends, my workplace. So in Islamic they wear prayer clothes and I saw my friend she was praying but she was wearing a different colour and normally it's a white or black. So I found that she's wearing pattern, like exactly the same pattern. And I was like, what happened to white and the black one? She said, "No, we just evolved."
- Okay, that's amazing. And is there a symbolism in the fabric that you've layered behind as well?
- I just wanted to be like all the old fashioned paintings where they expose women even naked with all like the fabrics and all this stuff, but I wanted to create more modernism. It's like, what if this woman was actually in full burka? And I've just put this as a like woman empowerment as well, like especially in Arab woman. So, and this represent like all the flowers they're red and the punch of red is just like, she's still a bit oppressed but the same time she's evolving herself, and that's talking about women empowerment in Arab countries as well. I think self portrait is like for time management because I have no one, and was like, okay I'll take self portrait and it's easier for time and stuff. Yeah, but I've always do self portrait. Like even with my mom I told her I'll be a finalist at the National Portrait Prize. She told me and was like, "Ah, are you naked this time?" I was like, no, mom I'm fully covered. So fully covered.
- There you go, mom, nothing to worry about.
- I know.
