I am Iran I am America
A site specific and interactive mixed media installation at the Milwaukee Art Museum entitled: I am Iran I am America. This is the only art piece that I have ever done that symbolically deals with my journey from Iran to America, but most important part of this installation dealt with the political relationship between USA and Iran.
The 8'X8' round table is divided in two uneven halves representing my life divided between living in USA and Iran, which I lived less years in Iran than in USA, but in exile for the past 34 years. Iran is also is much smaller than USA, a super power, but with continued divide and conflict between the two countries. The top surface of each section is screen printed by the word Iran and America in Persian. The layers of fabric also are printed with the same words in the color of each country's flag. No negotiation is taking place around this divided and uneven round table and no deal has made yet.
The smaller three tired, red and blue egg tempera painting represents my feet for taking the journey, which took 556 days. It also represents the hanging practices by the government of Iran that takes place every day mostly in public places in various cities and towns in Iran.
I fled Iran after its revolution of 1979 due to persecution of Baha’is and execution of three of my relatives. Since then, I have lived in Europe and then USA in exile. As an Iranian-American artist, Women / human rights activist and educator I have worked on various capacities to share my experience with other artists and the community in which I live in.
The ceiling of the edifice in the Sacred Crossing installation which constructs of a 10' X8' X10' has 10 roses hanged to honor ten Baha'i young women who were hanged in Shiraz, Iran in 1983. The fabric to cover the ceiling has screen printed words Iran and America.
My Uncle- Mr. Vahdat My great uncle, Mr. Yadulla Vahdat, was executed in Shiraz Iran on June 1981. His only crime was that he was a Baha'i and enttiled: father of the poor by people of Shiraz for his generosity to people. He was 80 years old.
Installation view This is a multimedia installation dedicated to the 215 people who were executed in Iran after the revolution of 1979 in Iran solely for their Baha'i faith. This piece has a center edifice that shrines the 10 young women who were hanged in Shiraz, Iran publicly on June 1983. One of them was my second cousin Tahireh. In this installation I have used digitized printing method on Chiri paper mounted on varnished wood for keeping them archival.
Sacred Crossings - Inside the edifice, 10' x 8' x 10' I tried very hard to fix this image, but the site keep showing it on its side!!! Using 215 white roses placing the against the exhibition floor/wall and 10 hanged inside the edifice for a tribute for the 10 young women hanged in Shiraz for their faith. The edifice ceiling's installation shot. Had screen printed fabric used as ceiling cover.
Installation View