I was told that time is not one thing,
but many; that it is layered, like an onion,
and there are other versions of this —
the orchids nodding in the vase,
a lemon sliced open,
ball-bearings of sun cupped in its rind.
I can pass from one universe to the next
by walking through a mirror
into a room that looks like this one:
only, the chairs have a scalloped oak back.
The books on the shelves are novels
rather than collections of poetry,
and I am there, in that room,
turning to look at myself, startled —
Shirin Abedinirad, Reflective Journey #2, 2024. Installation art, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Presented at ArtPrize 2024, the work draws on Rumi’s invitation to spiritual transformation — “Mature yourself and be secure from a change for the worse; / Go, become the Light” — using seven closed doors and mirrored panels to move between obstruction and openness. In the liminal space between barrier and reflection, the installation invites viewers to reconsider perspective, resilience, and the inner capacity for change. Artwork courtesy of featured artist Shirin Abedinirad.
