Hoor al-Azim Wetland, the largest border wetland in Iran, with a history of over 50,000 years, now burns as drought and decreased rainfall set it aflame. The land burns—and Gev, the cow… this symbol of purity and birth…

“Then all that was luminous and strong in its (the cow’s) seed was taken to the sphere of the moon, and after being purified in the light of the stars, two beings were created from it—one male and one female—from whom 280 species of animals came into existence.”
                               Bundahishn, Chapter 10, Paragraph 1

In Iranian mythology, the cow holds the deepest connection to the earth, to women, to motherhood. A symbol of fertility, power, wealth, and prosperity.
Gav or Gev means "earth"—for the first human, Gayomart, is called "Man of the Earth."
To praise the sacred cow is to begin praising water—this rare pearl of our land of water and soil, Iran.

The battle over water on this eternally thirsty plateau has its roots in ancient myths:
The legend of Tishtrya and Apush—the god of rain and the demon of drought.

The land burns, and its twin—the cow—burns too.
He (the painter) cannot bear to witness the burning of a living being like the cow in the Hoor al-Azim wetland. He picks up his pen, and images arise from the depths of his soul.

And the burning cow is Gev—the earth, the woman, the mother… the last living being to be sacrificed in the Frashgard, perhaps willingly, so that from her pure, sacred blood, the wine of immortality may be prepared—a symbol of creation, cosmic powers, and human eternal life.

The “Land, Cow” collection is a prayer at the sacred threshold of Ahura Mazda, seeking the return of Tishtrya, the angel of rain, against Apush, the demon of drought.

From our past, we carry a pain; from our decaying bodies, a dust; from our sorrowful chests, a cold sigh. May all people rejoice in your justice, and may the earth and time receive justice from you.

So be it.
                               
Marjan Golestani
                                1404 (August/September 2025)