Inspired by a 17th-century architectural masterpiece of the Safavid Empire, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, Raafat's site-specific installation incorporates fragments of muqarnas, an architectural motif comprised of three-dimensional ornamentations arranged in tiers. The work contrasts the mosque's sense of harmony and perfection by approximating a state of disrepair or ruin. Invoking the pervasive destruction that resulted from the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88), Raafat alludes to the fragility of life in Iran today — from continued conflict in the region to ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States — and reflects on the unshakable desire for survival.
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