Echoes of Sacrifice  M139

2023

The canvas before you, commissioned by the Office of External Affairs of the Baha’is in Switzerland, serves as a solemn tribute to ten extraordinary women, who, forty years ago on 18th June 1983, were mercilessly hanged in Iran for their unyielding faith in Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith. As a woman from an Iranian Baha’i family, born in North Africa and grew up in France, the story of the Baha’is in Iran has long stirred my emotions, my passions and my art.

Most of them in their early twenties, with the youngest a mere seventeen, these women were unjustly executed for the sole crime of adhering to a faith that champions equality between women and men, education, unity in diversity, and universal peace.

In “Echoes of Sacrifice,” I have carefully chosen the colors gold and crimson to evoke a profound sense of energy. Crimson, symbolizing nobility, royalty, religion, love, and courage, represents the fresh blood shed in this deplorable chapter. Gold, embodying divinity and power, reflects resilience and spiritual progress.

Against the backdrop of Iran, the country in which these beautiful souls met their tragic end, their countenances stand as an eternal reminder, urging us never to forget their sacrifice. The cord serves as a powerful plea, a resounding call for an end to such atrocity. This plea echoes not only for the Baha’is, but for all women and men who courageously rise to put an end to this senseless violence and injustice, #OurStoryIsOne.

Emotions run deep as I contemplate the youthfulness of these women who have been robbed of their futures. Their story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a stark reminder of the pressing need for change. Together, let us strive towards a world where such injustices cease to exist.