This commission is a stencilled screen suspended from the museum's ceiling and lit, casting dramatic shadows on the walls beyond. Poppy Garden II resembles a large Persian carpet with a garden design. However the central Cypress tree is slowly being poisoned by the surrounding poppies. ‘Skeleton keys’ hang from the tree, symbols of the Iranians who died in the Iran-Iraq ‘holy war’ where children were sent into battle wearing plastic keys to ensure their entry into Heaven. The beauty of the foliage and poppies forms a contrast with the death and destruction implied by the elegantly depicted hypodermic needles and keys. The work also hints at Iran’s history of opium production and the current drug problems in that country. This work will complement the large collection of Persian textiles at Bristol.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Poppy Garden II, 2010
Date supported
2010
Medium and material
Pe-cap fabric & plexiglass
Dimensions
22.9 x 16.5 cm
Grant
1900
Total cost
7600

Get a National Art Pass and explore Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
You'll see more art and your membership will help museums across the UK
National Art Pass offers available at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
10% off in shop
Enjoy 10% off in the shop with the National Art Pass
Expires: 1 Jan 2026
Art Funded by you FAQs
Contact us
If you have a question about a work of art in our archive, please contact the Programmes team. We’ll be happy to answer your enquiry.