The painting captures the profound emotions and vivid imagery evoked by returning home after a long absence. The scene is shrouded in darkness, with the house's walls almost engulfed by the lush, overgrown plants and trees. These natural elements seem to conspire to conceal the secrets of my family's past. New, furry creatures dart away at the sight of me, a stranger in what was once a familiar place.
As I open the door, its altered appearance strikes me. I step inside, take a deep sigh, and inhale the familiar smells that instantly transport me back in time. Despite the changes, one detail remains stubbornly the same: the lingering smoke from a thousand cigarettes smoked in the living room. This persistent scent, both detested and cherished, is a poignant reminder of my family's presence.
In the painting, the interplay of light and shadow emphasizes the duality of my feelings. On one hand, the enduring smell of cigarettes fills me with a reluctant comfort, a sign that my family is still there. On the other hand, I dread the day I might return to find the scent gone, a potential sign of irreversible change or loss.
The artwork explores this bittersweet dichotomy, celebrating the persistence of memory and presence in the familiar yet transformed space. It reflects my hope and joy that, despite my dislike for the smell, it signifies that my loved ones are still with me, anchoring me to my roots and shared history.
It's dark, and the walls of the house
Almost seem to be swallowed up by the plants and trees
They have grown enormous and seem
Determined to hide all my family's secrets from me
New furry faces glimpse
Running for cover at the sight of the stranger who would be me
I open the door, which seems to have changed.
I enter, take a deep sigh, and deeply inhale all the smells in the house
Reluctantly realize that that detail hasn't changed
The smoke from those one thousand cigarettes
The smoke from those one thousand cigarettes
Smoked in the living room continues to persist.
Smoked in the living room continues to persist.
On the other hand, I was wondering if one day
When I enter this Houda
I no longer smell this smell, I no longer smell this smell
I no longer smell this smell
I no longer.
It means that they have miraculously stopped smoking
But, of course, I can strongly doubt
Or means that you have left me forever
So I inhale again and again
Thinking with joy that if that smell of cigarettes I have always hated persists, they are still with me.
They are still with me.
