The Four Cities: A Journey Beyond the Curtain
In this series, I invite the viewer to step into four surreal worlds each a city born of imagination, memory, and myth. Inspired by the fantastical spirit of The Wizard of Oz, these works explore the idea of hidden realms governed by mysterious queens, their identities veiled yet their presence commanding. Each city reflects not only color and form, but also a unique atmosphere an entire universe unfolding behind velvet curtains.
Moon City
Bathed in silver, Moon City is a celestial sanctuary. A queen stands cloaked in black, her head transformed into a full moon, radiating stillness and mystery. The mirrored arches and metallic forms evoke the echo of eternity an endless architecture of light and shadow. This is a city of silence, reflection, and cosmic rhythm.
Emerald City
Here, the desert blooms with life. Beneath green curtains, the queen cloaks herself in palm leaves, embodying nature’s grace and resilience. The oasis beyond the arches conjures memory and heritage the timeless connection between people and land. Emerald City is a place of renewal and rootedness, where tradition thrives beneath an infinite desert sky.
Amethyst City
Vibrant and otherworldly, Amethyst City glows in hues of violet and rose. The queen’s head becomes a planet with rings an astral ruler of a dreamy cosmos filled with clouds, spheres, and shimmering reflections. This is a city of fantasy and wonder, a playground where imagination reigns.
Crimson City
Crimson City is bold, theatrical, and alive with movement. The queen emerges beneath red drapery, her face replaced with floating crimson orbs. The geometry of arches and the warmth of teapots create a city both intimate and exuberant an ode to hospitality, joy, and gatherings.
Ode to Embroidery: The Living Threads
As part of this series, I designed hand-embroidered gloves as a poetic tribute to nature and tradition. Each piece carries the memory of a plant deeply rooted in cultural and regional identity stitched into form as a second skin.
The Nakhla (Date Palm Tree): Embroidered in green, it embodies life, endurance, and sustenance, the tree that has nourished generations.
The Lyceum Shawi (Purple): Delicate blossoms in violet, reflecting resilience and rarity, a symbol of quiet strength and continuity.
The Mashmoom (Red Basil): Vibrant in crimson, it evokes fragrance, festivity, and love woven into memory as both healing and celebratory.
These gloves are not mere adornments but vessels of storytelling. Each stitch is an act of preservation, each motif a reminder of the living heritage carried through the art of embroidery.