Curious Encounters

This piece captures a quiet yet poignant moment of curiosity between two unlikely companions: a small sparrow perched on the edge of a stone and a vibrant orange-and-white goldfish gliding just beneath the water's surface. Their eyes meet, bridging the distance between air and water, sky and earth.

In this work, I explore animal emotion as a mirror to human experience, focusing on curiosity as a mood that opens doors rather than closes them. The sparrow, symbolizing resilience and hope in Iranian culture, leans in, not with fear or dominance, but with genuine wonder. The goldfish, often representing the cycle of life, responds in kind, unguarded and equally intrigued.

Set against the backdrop of political and religious divisions that often reduce people to labels, this exchange between bird and fish suggests a more innocent, instinctive reaction, curiosity instead of judgment. Through their interaction, I invite viewers to reflect on the power of open-hearted observation over fear of the "other," encouraging a world where differences inspire connection rather than conflict.