Aqd @ Festive Season: Private Exhibition

Inspired by the decorations of the festive season, a private exhibition was organized, presenting a compact Persian marriage sofreh (sofreh-ye aqd) on a soft green spread, with a white and gold colour scheme. It includes some of the important symbolic elements of the sofreh-ye aqd—a mirror, candelabra, nuts, sugared almonds, coins and sugarloaves. The tea light holders are shaped like Christmas trees. Ceramic metallic-finish pomegranates echo baubles. The soft white bouquets include sprigs of fir, reminiscent of Christmas foliage, while the gold-finish angel echoes the spirit of the festive season.

compact sofreh

This is the overall view of the compact composition, which alludes to a Persian marriage sofreh (sofreh-ye aqd), while echoing the decorations of the festive season.

This image focuses on the heart of the sofreh. The traditional mirror and candelabra symbolize reflection and light, and here the reflections are truly enchanting. Miniature bouquets of soft white roses and foliage are presented in elegant porcelain vessels, while a gold-finish angel takes centre stage and echoes the spirit of Christmas.

The focus of this image is the Persian sugared almonds (noql), a symbol of sweetness and harmony, and gilded coins (sekkeh), a symbol of wealth and prosperity. The flame of the tea light, inside a holder shaped like a Christmas tree, softly illuminates this corner.

The focus of this image is one of a pair of bouquets of silky Tibet roses, delicate Majolica spray roses, snowberries, white Hypericum Coco Unos, variegated Pittosporum and, of course, sprigs of fir, which echo the foliage of the festive season.

This image focuses on the crystal sugar in the form of a bowl (kaseh nabat), a symbol of sweetness and harmony, as well as decorated walnuts, a symbol of fertility. The tea light, inside a holder shaped like a Christmas tree, glows and subtly illuminates this section.

The focus of this image is a pair of sugarloaves (kalleh qand), embellished with paisley-design gold trims and fresh foliage. Traditionally, sugarloaves are ground during the Persian marriage ceremony, to wish the couple a sweet and harmonious married life.