Inner voices
This painting was born at the end of my long PhD journey. I am both artistic and analytic. Although
I kept doing some artisitc activities during those long years of doing mathematics, they were not
serious and art was marginalized in my life. When eventually that journey came to an end, one night
while I was sitting on our cauch among the boxes from our recent move to our tiny appartment in
Issy-les-Moulineaux, exploring the job opportunities on LinkedIn, I felt an urge from deep inside to
close my laptop, pick up a piece of cardboard and a pen, and doodle. My heart was beating hard, I
felt the blod pressure and the heavy inhale and exhales. It felt like giving birth (a painless one,
though!). When finally my hand stopped moving on the cardboard, I was surprised by what I saw.
Those faces were not at all similar to the Maryam I knew and to what I would expect myself to
paint. Those faces were staring at me, blaming me for keeping them inside for so long and sending
me a clear message that they won’t stay silent inside! They are out andI have to take them serious!
That was the start of my abstract painting journey and birthnight of my series called « Mubism ».
Why Mubism? Because many people who looked at them were reminded of Cubism, while creating
cubism was not at all my intention. They were unconcious, instantanouse creations of the little child
living inside me. So I decided to call them Mubism: The cubisms of my little Maryam.
The message of this painting for me was to always keep a strong link and connection with my true
self, all different aspects of my personality and most importantly my inner child. And I believe it is
crutial for all of us. Specially the PhD students who are going through the tough period of their
research where nothing works and they don’t see any light to the exit. You will eventually see the
light and the journey will come to an end. Keep going and don’t loose the link with your inner child.
Keep her alive and let her keep you alive!
Technique: acrylic and pen on used cardboard (upsycling trash to treasure)
Dimension: 35*17 cm
Maryam VAHID DASTGERI