ARTIST STATEMENT

Through my life in Iran and now my identity as a South West Asia North Africa (SWANA)  woman living in the United States, my work offers a commentary on sociopolitical issues. I create images, videos, sculptures, and installations that illustrate my struggles related to my cultural identity and how it is perceived in my new home.

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Incorporating different forms and materials, I address subject matters that have deeply affected my life and many others. Censorship from my youth manifests itself into images from art history that are obscured by Persian calligraphy and Islamic geometric patterns. Through objects made from different materials such as cast iron, fabric, ceramic, light, and shadow, I address the violation of women’s rights in Iran. Each material brings its own cultural and conceptual significance in relation to the piece.

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Utilizing text to pay homage to the history of hiding criticism in Persian arts, my work employs politically-charged writings such as news articles, propaganda, or feminist poetry. The writings are transformed into patterns using the smooth curves of Persian calligraphy. While Persian text is associated with fear and terror in the current political climate of the Western world, these patterns consume the space to confront the viewer.