Portal to one’s soul. Mirrors in Persian culture are a projection of the inner self.

Seeing our reflections in water initiated a long journey of self-discovery, shaping our perception of identity. Yet like the myth of Narcissus, this recreation has unfolded a self-centered approach towards our surroundings, driving many of today’s ecological crises through acts of vanity.

In the northwestern corner of Iran, what used to be the world’s second-largest saltwater lake is on the verge of disappearance. Ironically, the same methods designed to offer human benefit, such as redirecting the water for agricultural needs, have ultimately led to permanent ecological damage to Lake Urmia.

“Ayne-ye Khod” disrupts the perfect reflection by turning the mirror into a canvas of exposure. Limited official transparency has turned visual records into the only available evidence. This mirror becomes a collective archive of these documented photographs.

Salt has become an evidential material and a visible symbol of this ecological decline in Iran. While Persian mirrors are traditionally framed by images of flourishing nature, the piece replaces those motifs with evidence of environmental loss. It refuses to embody beauty by unraveling the unseen consequences. Now, the mirror is a tool of revelation, disclosing the ecological consequences of human vanity and acting as a medium of self-confrontation rather than self-admiration.

What is reflected back is the residue of our actions, like the salt that has obscured our vision. The water is no longer there for Narcissus to discover himself, nor is the portal to the soul; there is only drought, scarcity, and death.