As an Iranian immigrant artist, I often felt “wrong”; an outsider. Through art I explore identity, memory, and the search for belonging
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
Though I earned my fine arts degree over 20 years ago, I spent little time painting, held back by the vulnerability it demanded. While it may sound cliche, it was the birth of my son seven years ago that gave me the courage to return to my practice and embrace painting as an act healing, and coming back ‘home’.
Where do you find inspiration?I once found inspiration through mythology, folklore, and Jungian archetypes, building narratives at a distance from myself. Now my work turns inward. As the child of Iranian immigrants, shaped by otherness and a deep pull toward belonging, I ground my practice in lived moments. Using my own photographs, I paint what is real. Quiet, hard, fleeting, intimate moments I refuse to forget. These truths shape me now, no longer borrowed stories, but my own.
What would you do with $25,000?At first, I thought I would use the money to pay off my student debt, but I’ve accepted that burden will take time. Instead, I would give it to those who have supported me; half to my family as an act of gratitude and care, and half to set aside for my son’s future.
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Register now for your opportunity to appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display your artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon.
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