The Inevitable Sprouting

On January 8 and 9, 2026, millions of people across Iran took to the streets demanding freedom and more rights. The protests were met with lethal force. The government shut down the internet, but people still shared what was happening through VPNs.

Because of censorship, the real number of victims remains unknown. An official list named around 3,000 people; independent sources put the number as high as 35,000 to 40,000. The data itself stays uncertain and incomplete.

I felt a need to respond to what we don't know and can't name, but know exists. This period fell close to Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and to Chehelom, the 40th day of mourning in Iranian culture.

For Nowruz, families prepare a Haft-Seen table — seven items, each starting with the Persian letter "S." One is sabzeh, sprouted seeds, standing for growth and renewal. Some families place their Haft-Seen at the graves of loved ones.

Caring for Data

Instead of numbers, I worked with lentil seeds — around 35 handfuls, standing in for an estimated number of victims. They're soaked, then kept moist and cared for daily. Their roots grow into each other; they need to stay together to survive.

It's a metaphor for how lives are connected, and how memory continues through care and togetherness.

Forever Remembered

I collected names and printed them on transparent paper, so the seeds could grow through it. The list is still incomplete — new names continue to be added through human rights organizations and Telegram groups.

Data Physicalization

The structure is cardboard covered in fabric, with two openings for January 8 and 9. What grows through them represents what we don't know. Where the names stay visible, that's the data we have.

Keeping these names, in a place where there is censorship, becomes its own form of resistance.

Growth can't be stopped. Even suppressed, it returns — a reference, too, to future generations.

Future of the Work

On Sizdah Bedar, the sabzeh is released into water — part of letting go, and making wishes for what comes next.