Beauty Is a Doorway to the Divine
I. Beauty as a Spiritual Necessity
I think beauty is very important in life. Whenever we can, we should make things beautiful — because beauty is a doorway to the divine. Otherwise, everything becomes pedantic, utilitarian, stripped of grace. Beauty reconnects us to that grace.
When you look at a rose and feel moved by it, you know something bigger than you exists. You may not be able to dissect it intellectually, but you can feel it. That feeling matters. I think we are starving for that feeling in many ways.
II. Freedom, Iran, and the Path to Art
I am very grateful to experience freedom in the United States. Having lived through the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, knowing what it feels like to be deprived of freedom — I do not take it lightly. Perhaps the pursuit of freedom is what led me toward art in the first place. To me, freedom and art go hand in hand.
III. Identity, Femininity, and the Self Underneath
Over the years, I've had to let go of many identities that were assigned to me and had very little to do with my true essence. Art has helped me through that process. Every time I enter the unknown while creating — every time I let go and allow a work to emerge from a place of no mind — I feel that I meet a new part of myself. A part that feels much more real than the imposed identities we carry.
Especially as a woman, there are so many ideas, rules, restrictions, and expectations placed upon us about how we should be. But what does it actually mean to be connected to the essence of femininity instead of performing an identity? That question deeply interests me.
IV. The Work — Texture, Presence, and Exchange
The texture and sculptural elements in my work carry urgency, passion, and life force energy. They announce themselves. They say: Here I am, and I'm glad to be here. That physical dimensionality creates a different kind of presence and immersion for the viewer.
When someone stands in front of my artwork, I simply want them to feel something. I have no expectations beyond that. What has been most beautiful to me is hearing people interpret the work in ways I never imagined. Sometimes their experience allows me to see myself and my own work differently. That exchange is deeply pleasurable and meaningful.
V. Protecting the Spark — Age, Clarity, and the Dual Life
As I get older, I realize more clearly what truly matters and what is simply fluff. Many of the weights we carry are not even real. I've become more protective of my peace, my creative spark, and the spaciousness required for creativity to flourish. I no longer want that spark buried underneath endless redundant tasks, obligations, or identities that are not truly mine.
Running a gallery while also being an artist is not easy — but the two can complement one another beautifully. Being surrounded by different artists and artwork inspires me constantly. Providing a platform for other artists gives so much back to me as well. It becomes something circular, where everyone contributes to creating something larger, more impactful, and more alive than themselves alone. The challenge, of course, is protecting uninterrupted time for my own practice. I continue doing the best I can with that balance.
Intuition plays a huge role in my work because intuition is really a form of knowing that emerges when the mind becomes quiet enough to listen. I think there is vibration and intelligence happening all around us all the time. Through art, through presence, through entering that space of no mind, I become more connected to it.
If I had to describe the emotional essence of my current work in one sentence, it would simply be this:
It's good to be alive.
