In "Lemon Shield," I explore the absurdity of the censorship of female bodies on social media. This performance addresses the relentless nature of censorship and the frustration it causes. Lemons symbolize my frustration, their sourness reflecting my bitter feelings toward this repression. Despite extensive research, no emoji represents breasts or nipples, revealing society's discomfort with the female body.
In 2024, censorship of the female form is intensifying, driven by a patriarchal society aiming to control women. My performance critiques how women are conditioned to fear their bodies and are reduced to sexual objects. By illustrating the absurd lengths of censorship, " Lemon Shield" aims to normalize the female body as a vessel of identity and humanity, advocating for a new emoji to symbolize breasts and challenging the status quo.
May 2024
Redemption's Resonance embodies a visceral confrontation with societal norms through physical action. Clad in a white outfit, red boots, and boxing gloves, I stand before a chandelier crafted from seven colorful dildos suspended by gold chains; each dipped into a red paint bucket. As the performance unfolds, I engage in a symbolic struggle, punching the dildos until they fall, splattering red paint across the pristine backdrop and my attire. This act of defiance is a visual spectacle and a statement of resistance against entrenched power dynamics. Through this visceral display, I challenge the normalization of patriarchal structures, advocating for liberation and empowerment."
June 2024
"Devouring Desire" is a raw and thought-provoking video performance where I eat 13 bananas within a tight 10-minute timeframe, revealing the frustration and complexities that often come with online dating. As I devour each banana, the act becomes a metaphor for the insatiable hunger for connection and validation in the realm of online relationships. Despite feeling unwell and even reaching the point of throwing up, I persist in eating, symbolizing the relentless pursuit of love and meaningful connections, even in the face of rejection and disappointment. Through this evocative performance, I expose the vulnerability and emotional toll that online dating can inflict, shedding light on the desperate desire for connection and the unwavering determination to find it. "Devouring Desire" challenges viewers to question societal pressures and norms that push individuals into a relentless quest for affection and belonging while also offering a poignant reflection on the complexities of navigating modern relationships in a digital age.
2023
In this video performance, I explore themes of the gaze, identity, and the physical self. By attempting to look at myself through a mirror, I am trying to capture the complex tension between how I am perceived from an outside point of view and my own deeply private self-observation.
Our journey is a combination of trials. We are constantly building and rebuilding our lives. Winning and losing are the results of the games we play. Crashes and falls are part of the learning process toward success, balance, and self-understanding. These practices are getting us closer to fathoming all the levels of ourselves to finally experience the consciousness within. The goal is to meditate on the mind to clear all the spots and become one with our own mind.
In this video, I tried to create an experience that shows how this sphere spins around our lives. The challenges we face in this practice are created by the world around us and sometimes by ourselves. So, the important thing is to believe that we have the power to get through all these ups and downs. The result is in our minds, and all we need is to clear our minds to reach the highest level of Dhyana.
December 2019
The Shadow On The Wall
Over the past year, through the pandemic and isolation, I began a journey of self-discovery. Being forced to be alone, I started learning how to be comfortable with myself and enjoy my alone time.
This poem is from the book Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat. A very influential author from the early 20th century in Iran, influenced by Kafka.
Growing up reading this book over and over, I suddenly found myself in a moment of discovery, and when I opened my eyes again, things were completely different from before.
Nima Hafezieh, Music composer
For the past forty years, the Iranian people have been experiencing an extremely repressive state. There are no basic freedoms like there are in Western liberal democracies, and there are frequent arrests for moral crimes. These occur for religious reasons or for speaking out for human or women’s rights. The sentences are harsh and are frequently given in absentia. There are no restrictions on police power, and thus no protection against unreasonable searches or seizures, allowing the police to enter your house at any time. Questioning their authority results in heavier punishment.
The contrast between the freedoms here and the injustice in my country motivated me to create art to increase awareness of this injustice in Iran. In this photo series and video, I randomly chose 50 prisoners of the last decade, and showed their names, their sentences, their crimes, and the time of their arrest. I used “United for Iran, Iran Prisons Atlas” as my source.
Some of these prisoners are in exile, while others cannot leave the country and are not able to work anymore. Some have been in house arrest for more than a decade. Though there have been many protests and demonstrations, all have been repressed, with the participants tracked down, killed, or imprisoned.
Fall 2019
Legs are human tools for mobility, and our minds are the engines. Imagine the engine is running, but the vehicle stays in one place. During the COVID-19 lockdown, many experienced the stillness of time and life. Not being able to go to work, school, or the gym, or to participate in any social activity, created a strong sense of immobility for all. On a personal level, I was dealing with foot surgeries and was not able to use my feet for most of the year. From running to walking to being fixed in one location was one of my greatest challenges. As I’m getting back on my feet and looking into the end of the COVID-19 lockdown tunnel, I think about the power of the mind and how I can keep running in a state of tranquility.
Winter 2020