Noralhuda Abduljalil Abduljabbar

The title of the painting, Hope in Hands, and the materials used are acrylic and oil paints on a 50×70 canvas. This painting represents a woman, specifically a Kurdish woman, with huge capabilities of making her little world – which is made limited by external forces – a better place on her own. The title “Hope in Hands” is a bit metaphorical. The hope is not literally the jar of fireflies in her hands, but rather the strength, energy, adventure and optimism she “holds in her hands,” which can also be the meaning behind her orange dress.

The colorful background represents her ability of colorizing her world, and her colorful makeup stands for playfulness. Her big eye is like a door to her personality, i.e., she is easy to understand. They can also portray tolerance, which is one of the reasons why she sets the fireflies free. The other reasons would be her self-dependence and love of nature.