So Close; So Far: Reaching the Unreachable through the Process of Transformation in a Drawing-based Installation

So Close; So Far is a drawing-based installation that explores the Persian mystical tradition of transforming the self through the process of reaching for the unreachable. This thesis paper examines two main components of the installation: Muqarnas, a suspended sculptural construction referencing Persian architecture, and Self-portrait, a series of tableaux drawings reflecting my internal feelings and external appearance. Drawing upon Persian mysticism, this paper demonstrates the collaboration of the reachable, the external (zahir), and the unreachable, the internal (batin), to transform the exhibition, as well as the installation, the artist, the gallery space, and the viewer into one whole. So Close; So Far also investigates the potential of paper-based and nature-based industrial materials, mainly packaging cardboard and flooring paper, to express the idea of the oneness of being. Through this mystical lens, this paper explores how diverse concepts and elements cooperate to reach the unreachable and construct the one.