Homa Arkani presents a harsh critique of the Iranian public. Her work pays special attention to the decline of culture in Iran. In her work, the youth who want to break with tradition and express themselves are reactionary, and so at times fall into superficiality. They adopt certain fashion and social behaviors without much critical thought. Even if Iranians are living in a totalitarian society, they shouldn’t just point their finger at each other; they should be introspective as well.

A boy smoking a crack pipe, a woman literally juggling her grandparents, and a harem of young Iranians entertaining themselves; these are all characters in Arkani’s non-fiction work. While her works are novel in their candid characterisation of modern Iranian youth, she steers clear of overtly political messages. The Tehran-born artist depicts her immediate social surroundings: women, men, and boys, torn between tradition and that which is perceived to be modern, in an oppressed society.

Part of the excitement of her work is seeing a glimpse of what Iranian youth really indulge in – socially, culturally, and psychologically. The other part is seeing Arkani’s clever and critical depiction of it. Perhaps this is why her work has gone viral: she gets into the Iranians’ personal space.

You don’t have to be Iranian to feel this "in-between-ness," or to understand the tension between your past and present in society.