The title “The Conference of the Birds” is taken from a classic Persian text. This text has served as an important source of inspiration for the paintings of Iranian-born Niloufar Shirani since 2019. For the artist, the ancient text source is particularly relevant to today’s social conditions and symbolizes a direct connection to the discourse on freedom and democracy. In the visual language of the picture, Shirani refers to the paintings of the Dutch Baroque, as a reference to the centuries-long interconnection of the cultures of East and West. The artist combines these elements with elements of the present. Niloufar Shirani sees her work as an allegory of “woman, life and freedom”.