This collection of paintings, created from both live models and photographs, explores an atmosphere where close-up figures are transformed into still lifes—moments suspended in space. As these figures are observed and analyzed, they seem to lose their vitality, turning pale. To capture this effect, Khoondi employs materials that emphasize visible colors and shallow glazes, making the process and layers apparent.

At the same time, a sense of detachment from the “position of stars” reflects the experience of those born in Iran during the 1970s—individuals who witnessed the Iranian Revolution and the war firsthand, and now endure foreign sanctions.

Within these works, stars serve as metaphors for people living in a frozen environment. Once rebellious characters from earlier collections now appear subdued, their outward calm masking deeper unrest. They become consumers, at times reduced to commercial objects, marked by coded price labels. This critical perspective also emerges in Afsaneh’s self-portraits.