Tempo Memoria Group Exhibition in Italy / July 18, 2016 by Sarvin Haghighi

I was thrilled when Sergio Gomez asked me to be part of this amazing group exhibition. I have shown my work internationally before in London Biennale but this was a different experience. We were going to exhibit in a Museum in Turin-Itlay. I was debating if I should go on the trip or not...after all traveling to Italy is not really cheap. But then again I thought how many times I would get this chance to go and meet up with other artist friends of mine, maybe meet up with old friends who might be traveling in Europe in summer and of course experience the exhibition in person. So here I went to the amazing city of Turin. As soon as I got to see downtown and where the museum was located, I was blown away. This charming city has a lot of character, lot of energy, I was simply blown away.

The next day we all were there for the opening. What a night this was. It was truly an amazing experience. The next few days went by so fast with visiting the landmarks and museums and even a one day trip to Milan. As an artist, I truly believe traveling is always necessary as it will open new doors, gives you inspirations and ideas and also connects you to so many amazing people...

Below photos were taken by the amazing Sergio Gomez who curated this exhibit, who showed us how to dare to dream again...

Each artist had two pieces in this exhibit. As for me below pieces were shown. It actually made it to the local newspaper in Turin as well!

During the opening night, each artist talked a bit about their work and how it is linked to the theme of the exhibit "Time & Memory" - We all had a blast.

The whole experience was just amazing, being able to showcase my art outside Iran and U.S and in Europe was so heart warming. The exhibit runs till August 20th 2016 so in case you find yourself in the beautiful charming city of Turin, make sure to pay a visit to this lovely museum and see our works.

What's coming next to Saugatuck Center for the Arts / February 13, 2016 by Sarvin Haghighi

The opening reception for "Shortcut to the Silk Road" at the beautiful Saugatuck Center for the Arts turned out to an amazing event last night. Walking in to the building, viewers were served with a very special "Mar-Tea-Ni" - Tea infused Martini - cocktails in the spirit of the exhibit's title. Viewers then walk in to the main gallery passing by walls covered with the word "LOVE" in Farsi all over. There is a map of Silk Road painted on the wall of the exhibit with art pieces on them. Tea and Saffron were some of the most famous trade goods traveled through Silk Road from ancient Persia hence they were used as one of the mediums in these pieces.

Right after is the "Love" corner. With it's walls and floors covered with the word "LOVE" in Farsi, I try to showcase the power of positivity around us. Growing up in Tehran, I have always seen negative graffiti words on the walls of Tehran...I believe in the power of affirmations; why not try to turn something negative into a positive thing?

We had another event the week after the opening called "You have brought Bliss" which mainly focused on the rich hospitality traditions of Iran and Persia. In the class I shared information about ancient customs of welcoming the stranger which is completely new to those who just have their vision of Iran based on what they see on Media. We all enjoyed a dish I prepared as well and shared the recipe with all. This sold out event was extremely important for me as I wanted to give all the opportunity to ask any questions they have freely.

Our upcoming event is called "Creativity Revealed" which will be held on February 15th at 7pm at Saugatuck Center for the Arts and is Sponsored by the Saugatuck-Douglas Art Club. I'm honored to be be interviewed by Salvatore Sapienza and then I will take all into the process of creating my pieces and shortly after that a hands-on demonstration opportunity. There are still few spots available for this Free event. To secure your spot, visit HERE.

Installing "Shortcut to the Silk Road" exhibit / January 22, 2016 by Sarvin Haghighi

My first solo exhibition in the U.S could not have occurred at a better time. We just learned that Sanctions against Iran has been removed. Iran is the talk of every conversation and I get to share my art at the same time. Setting up this exhibit has been hard and could not have been possible without the help of amazing staff at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts have been so supportive and enthusiastic of the upcoming show. Whitney Valentine, the lovely Exhibition Manager of the center has put together some great events coming up for me to be able to share my vision with you all. We have done interviews with CareerLine Tech Center. The interview will be shown on the wall outside of main gallery. As you walk in the space, you will see a free hand sketched map of the ancient Silk Road where some of my pieces could be seen across its length. Influenced by the title of the exhibit, I have used Saffron and Tea as colors in some of the pieces; these were some of the main elements traveled across the Silk Road from Persia. As you go further, you will see walls covered with the word "LOVE" in Farsi. I was born during Iran's Revolution year. As a child I remember seeing lots of graffiti as political protest decorating the walls of buildings in Tehran. Activists made their statements under the cover of darkness on the walls all over the city. The scrawling of political statements in public has occurred for generations and is still visible under the current government.

I've always believed in the power of writing. Personally, it works for me as a source of affirmation. By scribing "LOVE" over and over again in this space, I hope to circulate more positive energy. I wish to use the power of this word to showcase one of the most influential elements in our lives. There are some Persian blue beads hanging from the ceiling; in lot of countries these are meant to take the evil eye away.

I invite you all to share your experience and tell us what you thought of the show. Instead of a guest book, we want you to share your thoughts on the wall in the main gallery. There will be markers located for you all to share your take on the exhibit. I also encourage you all to find the corner which speaks to you the most, snap a photo and share it on your social media. Would be great if you could also tag myself and Saugatuck Center for the Arts, we can then use your photos for a trailer I will be making post this exhibit.