Sophia & me
Sophia Mirza is my younger sister by five and a half years; she died needlessly from ME on 25th November 2005. Since her death her life story has become well known; if one types Sophia into Google she is on the first ten pages of the web. We all live in a media saturated world, which has become more apparent to me since Sophia died. I see her face and story everywhere. I find myself reading, watching videos and TV broadcasts about the same cruel tragic story and people's astonishment that such a thing could happen in a developed country.
This understandable one dimensional portrait is necessary, as the issues are so important to all of us and future generations. But this portrait is a caricature; it has nothing to do with the Sophia I knew in life. She has become a beacon, lighting the way for so many people suffering from this terrible disease.
I have come to realise that this extraordinary recognition reflects the exceptional person she was in life. Sophia was studying art at the same time that I decided to leave the business degree that I was half way through, so as to study art. I now realise I was following in her wake. At the age of 18 Sophia embraced my wish to study art and positively nurtured it by setting projects for me to study before she went to college in the morning. In the evening after a full day of studying she would meet up with me and go through my work. I once witnessed her debating with the life drawing teacher for half an hour, that I should be allowed to sit at the back of the life drawing class, as the teacher did not need to tutor me.
Sophia was the one of the only people to take me seriously in my aspirations. Her natural positive approach to life and people has resulted in me setting up CT Radiators, CT Lighting and Construct Transparent since her death. CT Radiators won Eco Build 2009 with a revolutionary heat efficient sculptural radiator technology. Ecology was one of Sophia's main concerns which seems ironic as she died from an illness which has suspected links to the modern chemical environment we all live in.
This sculpture reflects the relationship I had, and still have, with Sophia. It is born of that positive life force she so generously shared. The use of the universal languages of geometry and light, reflect the meaning of her name ''Sophia'': ''wisdom'', but also her inner being. I hope that other people throughout the world whom Sophia has touched, will see that the sculpture is about their relationship, as well my relationship, to Sophia. We have all had the good fortune in life and death to be touched by this person. The one thing I do know, and that most people can only suspect, is, that she is as consistent with her positive light in death as she was in life. We have all benefited from her clarity.
The sculpture ''Sophia & me'', can be seen at Geisha Arts at Madam Geisha, 75-79 East Street Brighton BN1 1NF, www.madamegeisha.com in the heart of the lanes next to the sea. The exhibition is in aid of International Childcare Trust and features some of the most prominent artists and designers in the UK. Zac Walsh, Mat Small, KaiGami and Fishtail Neon to name a few.
A seat has been dedicated to Sophia in the Duke of York's Cinema at Preston Circus, Brighton. www.dukeofyorkscinema.co.uk The cinema was one of Sophia's favourite places in Brighton. A plaque has been mounted on the seat next to the cast iron radiator in the main auditorium on the right.
info@ctradiators.com