08.03.25, 16:00, Ava Darvishi, When I Colored the Earth Bright

In my daily life—through my thoughts and struggles—living here in Ghent, far from my hometown, I find myself longing for the past. I miss the moments I can no longer experience, and the loss of a loved one feels like a heavy wave crashing over my mind. I seek to connect my experiences here with my memories, weaving together the past and present.

As I reflect, my struggle deepens. I think of those I have lost, which inspires me to write stories about them, recreating our moments together through pictures and words. It is my way of connecting with them, among all the time I lost and can never get back, or perhaps the only way.

This project was never a conscious decision; it has always been present in my thoughts, interwoven with my fears and anxieties. It is a work in progress one without a definite ending because the more I try to remember, the more stories I find to write. It is an ongoing exploration without an end.

Countless reasons pull me further from my past, but I am trying to push the boundaries of my mind, writing these moments down to erase even one of the thousand reasons that distance me.

• Ava Darvishi

Ava Darvishi is a theatermaker and actress from Iran who is currently based in Ghent. She has been a member of Sada Ghent Playback Theatre since 2022. Ava has performed in several international projects, including Voicelessness, performed at Apparatus in Seoul in 2024, and Medea at the Bozar Institute in Brussels in 2018.

Ava Darvishi holds a BA in Acting from the Art and Architecture University in Tehran, an MA in Puppet Theater from the University of Tehran, and a postgraduate degree in Digital Storytelling from KASK & Conservatorium. She is currently pursuing studies in drama at KASK & Conservatorium.

Abstract Entities

Thomas Hitchcock's exhibition Abstract Entities serves as an open platform for temporary interventions by Belgian art students. Throughout the exhibition period, a multitude of interventions will unfold across various media, including performances, music, collective readings, talks, workshops, discussions, body practices, poetry, and screenings.