I created four animations that capture sweet, homey moments inspired by the rich Persian culture I come from. Each piece depicts small, delightful elements in motion, infusing the scenes with a dynamic and lively atmosphere that reflects the warmth of a Persian home. Animation components enabled me to narrate a short and touching story that portrays the human connection. Though the characters are absent from the scenes, their presence can still be heard through ambient voices.
Through these animations, I aim to evoke a sense of belonging, togetherness, and the joy of welcoming someone into a home. The animations show human connection and the shared experiences that make a house feel like a home, despite the absence of actual human figures on the screen. For immigrants, the home concept holds an essential meaning, and symbolizes where the new roots are integrated with roots from the past. Through these animations, I want to share these profound messages with others, bridging gaps and fostering understanding among diverse communities.
The home concept carries a profound significance for me, especially after immigrating to a new country. It is a topic that often occupies my thoughts: whenever I see videos or images of Persian homes on social media, I am attracted to them as they evoke a sense of nostalgia and belonging. To start this project, I got inspiration from these visuals, which I saved as my primary reference. When developing my project, I carefully considered the essential aspects of a home that I wanted to create. Two prominent themes emerged: Warmness and gathering. However, I decided to portray these ideas without using human characters. This approach allowed me to emphasize the emotions associated with the absence of familiar faces when someone starts their life in a new land.
I decided to simplify the shapes of the objects to draw the viewers’ attention toward the emotions of the scenes to emphasize the movements and interactions within them rather than focus on details. Additionally, I used warm colors throughout my artwork to convey the sense of warmth and comfort associated with home. These hues not only show a feeling of familiarity but also evoke a sense of security that one’s home can provide.
In the first animation, I created a cozy small room with a vintage rotary phone in the center, symbolizing communication, and connection. In the scene there is a glass of tea siting on a table alongside various everyday items and decorations, such as a potted plant, round traditional pillows, and an artistic flourish adorning the wall. In the background, we hear a baby crying to emphasize the family’s busy and dynamic daily life. Suddenly, the telephone starts ringing, and we see it shaking playfully. The caller’s identity remains a mystery, creating anticipation of the next scenes. Viewers are left wondering who is on the other end of the line and what the call’s purpose is. This element of suspense keeps the audience engaged and eager to learn more through the next animations.
In the second animation, I created a kitchen with a large samovar, a traditional water boiler commonly found in Persian kitchens. The samovar takes center stage with a flourishing pot, implying a sense of warmth and familiarity. The surroundings are adorned with a delightful arrangement of small elements like pickle jars, colorful bowls, a vintage scale, a bouncing lamp, and an assortment of spoons, all animated and giving life to the scene. As the audience immerses themselves in the animation, the sounds of sizzling and frying food from the stove enhance the feeling of being in a cozy kitchen. Among these sounds and movements, the audience hears a doorbell ring, a subtle reminder of the connection to the first animation: this is the person who called home in the first animation. Sounds and movement all imply that this home is ready for a guest.
In the third animation, the audience is transported to a Persian which has a pool, a jumping fish, an old bicycle, and a plant. Suddenly, a knock on the door changes the atmosphere of the yard. The animation captures the effect of the guest’s arrival, with the ball and apples dropping and the watermelon and fish joyfully jumping in response to the guest’s arrival.
In the concluding animation, the scene reveals a set table with two glasses of tea and a sugar cube container on the side. The lively movements of the elements continue as if preparing for the long-awaited arrival of a special visitor. A single sugar cube playfully jumps into one of the tea glasses, and simultaneously, a sugar candy jumps into the other glass. This interaction symbolizes the sweet moment of two people meeting each other. In the background, gentle whispers signal the presence of the guest and host, and the whispers convey the warmth of familiarity and affection, echoing moments from the previous scenes where the audience waited for the guest’s arrival. This animation captures the essence of the gathering, a celebration of friendship, love, and cherished memories.
