The Gardens of Maladies animation draws from Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, offering a poetic visual interpretation of our contemporary world. It explores themes of human enhancement, the shifting global power structures, and the intersection of technology and nature, blending historical and modern elements to reflect the complexities of our time. Barakeh’s work incorporates elements from Persian, Mughal, and Chinese miniatures, merging paradisiacal visions with infernal scenes from different cultures and time periods. The animation evokes wombs and the cycles of birth and transformation, symbolizing the continuous evolution of the human body and mind. Trilobite fossils—ancient creatures with compound eyes and exoskeletons—serve as metaphors for modern military defense mechanisms, while locusts emerge as symbols of change and rebirth, embodying the ongoing process of destruction and renewal.
The Gardens of Maladies, 2024, animation still; 4:40 minutes.