Damascena garden, 2018

Scented Installation with plaster prepared with golab (Iranian rose water) and video

Variable dimensions, video: color, audio, 4’ 24’’ in loop.

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Every May, in the city of Kashan, Iran, the traditional ceremony of distilling Damask roses, called Golabgiri, takes place, a practice that has lasted for over a thousand years. The roses are harvested early in the morning and transformed into golab (rose water in Persian) through an ancient distillation process.

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The roses in this installation were crafted using golab from this ceremony, and the accompanying video captures the rose garden at dawn during the harvest. Beyond symbolizing beauty and love, the Damask rose also holds deep cultural and spiritual significance in Iran. Known locally as Gole Mohammadi (flowers of the Prophet Muhammad), believers consider that this rose carries miraculous properties, and its scent is thought to embody the presence of the Prophet himself.

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Through this installation, the intention is to reflect on how the same scent acquires different meanings when placed within diverse historical and cultural contexts.

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This work was created during the residency at Kooshk Residency in Tehran, as part of the Kooshk Artist Residency Award (KARA 2018)