Emily: Hi, I’m Emily. I’m in Teens-in-Residence, and I’m with…
Dariana: Dariana, and I’m also in MoMA Teens-in-Residence. And we’re looking at the painting, In Worship.
Emily: I see a woman with long blonde hair, and she’s wearing a bluish, watery-looking dress. And she has her two hands covering her neck. And then behind her, another two hands with two paint brushes and paint coming out of them.
Dariana: The main detail that stands out immediately is the center, which is the circle was two interweaved braids. Or they also seem like organs, and they're on a contrasting red background.
Emily: Do you think the paintbrushes mean anything or symbolize anything?
Dariana: To me, those paintbrushes look like ribbons, almost like a cultural ceremonial item. They're also very bright and they also stand out when you look at the piece.
Emily: Well, she said in her artist statement how she's imagining her future and past. The artist wrote: “The central focus of the painting is the future as it approaches the story of growing more intertwined with the bold braids of my DNA. Past, peace, divinity, and drive.”
Dariana: It seems as the person is like proud and bold about their background and how it connects to their future. She talks about how her cultural identity and her heritage are connected between two parts—which is Iraq and Michigan—and how those two different places affected her and shaped her identity.
And also her identity is heavily intertwined with art. So the paintbrushes actually symbolize her art and her goals in her life.