On an autumn evening behind Tate Britain, I was struck by the grandeur of the Plane trees, their gnarly forms twisting like silent sculptures against the clean lines of the brick buildings.

For a fleeting moment, the cold, rigid bricks seemed to glow warm and soft in the shadows. The Plane tree, a survivor of the Industrial Revolution unlike many urban species, feels like a guide—showing how to endure grief and chaos, much like the ongoing revolution in Iran.

This tree’s quiet defiance softens the rigid world around it, a testament to resilience—an ongoing theme in my work, reflecting my connection to both personal and political struggles.