As a Middle Eastern woman and a traditional Persian painting artist in the West, Fatemeh Shekarforoush often feels caught between two worlds, rooted in a cultural heritage that is slowly disappearing, yet adrift in a new space that doesn’t fully understand me or the visual language she carries; like a leaf in the wind, 

not firmly attached, always moving, shaped by forces beyond her control. Shekarforoush’s work reflects 

this experience of floating between cultures, never fully belonging to one place, and having no settled ground. Through layered, fragmented compositions, she explores displacement, resilience, and shifting identity. Objects from her heritage appear throughout her artworks, carrying nostalgia while opening space for reflection on cultural, political, 

and social issues.