The sound of silence - Solo Exhibition - May 2018

Installation for The Sound Of Silence Exhibition - Currently on view at 33 Contemporary Gallery Chicgao

We live in a busy and loud world where we are online all the time and seems to not be able to have quite time or communicate in the right way. I wanted to create an exhibition and invite the viewers to slow their day down, enjoy the pieces in silence and connect with them directly, try to figure out the story they wish to tell. My aim has always been to create pieces which are not only visually interesting (hopefully!) but also starts a dialogue. That is when we can start to find that common ground, no matter where we come from, what religion we follow or what color of skin we have. 

I was honored when Sergio Gomez asked me to exhibit at his beautiful space, 33 Contemporary Gallery located at Zhou B Art Center. My vision was to create a show where pieces speaks to viewers and also make them affordable. The show comes to life with 53 pieces, all 6x6 inches. 5 and 3 have always been my numbers throughout life and one day looking them up out of curiosity,  realized 5 symbolizes Freedom and 3 symbolizes Creativity and everything started to fall into place even more. 

Each piece has a different look and all are different from one another but they all have one thing in common, the love and energy they carry, the shapes which might seem familiar from the Persian and Islamic architectural shapes, the vibrant colors of Persian rugs, the beautiful Farsi calligraphy and Rumi poetry which is only a small part of the rich and beautiful culture of my motherland. 

I invite you to enjoy the silence of the space, if you listen, you will hear the pieces talking to you, they are telling you their story. While going through the creation process, I was reminded by below quote by Rumi:- 

"Listen to silence, it has so much to say"

Parallel Lives comes to life in NY this June

  Parallel lives is a traveling exhibition series that swaps Artists work between two distinct cities to initiate conversation and context about Artist’s practices and their communities. This exhibit is created and curated by Luis Martin, Founder and Chief Curator of Parenthesis Art Space in NY. I had the honor to meet and get to know Luis during one of his Chicago visits.

This collaboration invites the audience of both cities to think about art and the Artists that made the work in terms of context and questions the influence of place and time. Furthermore, the PARALLEL LIVES series will create a platform to expand the Artist’s reach to forge a wider sense of community and visibility.

The first part of the show took place during the Zhou B Art center's third Fridays at Art NXT Level Projects / 33 Contemporary Gallery which exhibited works of selected artists by Luis Martin from NY. As part of the Traveling Series Parallel Lives, Artists from Chicago will be showing their work during Bushwick Open Studios (BOS). I'm honored to be featured in this amazing exhibit at Parenthesis Art Space in New York curated by Luis Martin and Chicago's very own Sergio Gomez. Being in NY is obviously always exciting and the fact that I will be there celebrating this amazing exhibit with such talented group of artists, is just phenomenal.

The exhibit is open to public on June 4-5th 2016 from 11 am to 6 pm located at 203 Harrison Place, Brooklyn, NY 11237. In addition, on Sunday, June 5th at 1 pm, there will be a special Artist talk called "Closing the Gap" by Artist and curator, Sergio Gomez. In this dynamic talk, Sergio will share advise on how to convert obstacles and fears into life-changing opportunities. Dr. Yanina Gomez will also share that one thing we all need to help us foster and maintain an optimistic mindset. Don't miss this event!

We can not wait to celebrate with you. Come join us and let's connect Chicago and NY Art scene more than ever before.

Third Fridays at Zhou B Art Center

THE ZHOU B ART CENTER

The Zhou B Art Center was founded in 2004 by the internationally acclaimed Zhou Brothers. Located in Bridgeport, the Zhou B Art Center's mission is to promote and facilitate a cultural dialogue by organizing contemporary art exhibitions and programs of international scope. As a Center created by artists, for artists, the vision of the Center is to facilitate the exchange of contemporary art between Chicago and the international art community and promote the convergence of Eastern and Western art forms in the United States.

Ever since my move to Chicago, my vision has been to become one of the established artists in the city and being part of  Zhou B community has provided this very opportunity. The resident artists within different floors of the building have been welcoming and inspiring in many ways. This is a true meaning of having an art community where you have the support and guidelines to get closer to your vision.

Every 3rd Friday of the month, The Zhou B Art Center opens exhibitions with an evening reception from 7pm-10pm located at 1029 W 35th Avenue, Chicago IL. These events are free of charge and provide the community of Bridgeport and the Chicago area a unique opportunity to explore a blend of international and local art. The artists-in-residence at the Art Center open their studios to visitors, making this a unique opportunity for the community to meet working artists and discuss their work in person. The variety of the work produced by the artists-in-residence and the four in-house gallery spaces makes the Zhou B Art Center 3rd Friday Exhibitions one of the most diverse art experiences in the city.

As we are getting closer to warmer weather in this amazing city, mark your calendars and come visit us for the upcoming third Fridays. Photos are taken by the one and only Sergio Gomez from this past third Friday event at my studio space located at Zhou B Art Center. The word you see on the walls is "Love" in Farsi. I was born in the year of revolution in Tehran/Iran. Growing up I remember seeing lots of graffiti as political protest decorating the walls of Tehran. I'm a true believer of power in writing positivity and affirmations. By scribing "LOVE" over and over in this space, I hope for it to circulate more positive energy. I'm using the power of this world to showcase one of the most influential elements in our lives