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Anahita is an international artist born in Isfahan, Iran. The historic and artistic atmosphere in Isfahan attracted Anahita to the arts since her early ages. She got her diploma, Bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in fine arts in Iran and moved to the USA in 2021 to study terminal degree of fine arts at the University of Texas in San Antonio. She is a multidisciplinary artist mixing painting, craft, video, installation, and performance with a focus on women’s and gender rights. Cultural references and Persian symbols are obvious in Anahita’s artworks which are depicted in a contemporary trend. In her artworks, she calls audience to participate, share feelings, and raise awareness about women.
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Artist Statement of Work
Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):
I started as a painter at the beginning of my MFA degree and ended up as a multidisciplinary artist mixing painting, craft, video, installation, and performance. I use various materials and techniques such as fabrics, sewing, embroidery, threads, hair, needles, and objects related to women and home. The delicacy and softness of these materials help me to show my concepts, childhood, maternal memories, and grandmother. Moreover, they have an important role in Persian art, and I am able to depict my contemporary viewpoint and concerns along with my Persian background, personal symbols, and historical role of the materials. Regarding my background, crafts and traditional patterns in Iran have always been my interest subject. I have appropriated a lot of art elements from miniature paintings specifically the linear technique of drawing and sketch work, patterns, flat coloring technique, and symmetrical compositions. I create with a focus on women’s rights. Art history courses I took during my MFA degree, encouraged me to research about contemporary female artists and study gender activist and feminist art. As an example, Kimsooja, an artist originally from Korea, opened new doors for me because she utilizes craft in a contemporary way. Libby Rowe, a contemporary artist, and my professor at school, encouraged me to explore performance art to break the boundaries of traditional 2D art which helped me discover my body and body movements as an important element/material (an amazing class I had with her called Failure). Most importantly, recent protests to support human and women’s rights in the Middle East, specifically in Iran, elicited a huge shift in my desire to express my feelings as a woman and to raise awareness to the atrocities being committed against my gender. I begin each project by conducting research of ideas. I often use photos both taken by me or other artists and photo references of books and illustrations that relate to my concept. Watercolor and transparent acrylic paints are some of the materials I use most to make layered imagery. I also take photos of my paintings, print them, and paint on them again to enhance layering. The process of layering helps me to depict multiple stories at the same time. The compression of the story lines lends to the audience having to work to interpret possible meanings and to question their understanding. I started with simple sewing techniques and continued improving my craft techniques. Threads, fabrics, and needle art create the most important part of my work. Recently, I have started making spaces and working on installations. Through installation, I am able to juxtapose different media together to present my feelings and concepts. The installation also provides the opportunity for participatory art experience.
