I grew up in Qazvin, Iran, which was a very religious and conservative city. I don’t know where I got it from, but I had this urge to be an artist. I left Iran in 1975 to study art at the University of California, Berkeley, where I received my Bachelor’s, Master of Arts, and Master of Fine Arts degrees. It was there that I realised my idea of being an artist was purely romantic; I was not good at art at all.
After the revolution in 1987], the United States and Iran severed diplomatic relations, so I didn’t see my family for more than a decade. In 1989, when the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini died and was replaced by the current supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, it was finally possible for me to return. In 1990, I did.
When I visited, I was shocked and overwhelmed by how religious the country had become. The Islamic Republic had hung banners all over Tehran with antiIsrael and anti-America rhetoric. It was kind of frightening, because even my own sisters and mother were always in hijabs. They were almost unrecognisable... before I left, they were different women,so cosmopolitan. I was very impacted by how Iran had transformed into a different country, and how it impacted women’s lives.
Once I returned to New York, I started to think about making work that reflected upon what I had experienced. I finally became an artist because I had a purpose.
Esta historia es de la edición December 2022 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 2022 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The Magic Of Magnesium
This miracle mineral can be your ticket to better health.
Filler Fatigue
With worries about facial distortion and a shift towards the natural, is it time to sav goodbye to these corrective tweaks?
Mind-Skin Connection
Is il possible for your skincare to communicate with your brain:
Tailored for the Game
Fashion meets sports as U.S. Polo Assn. names Sawai Padmanabh Singh of ol Jaipur’ s royal family its global ambassador.
Reimagined Classic
Louis Vuitton launches the Neverfull Inside Out bag, transforming the icon into a fully reversible tote.
Italian Muse
Guecr's new high jew ellery collection isa stroll through the country’s picturesque gardens.
Co Gs Art Post, Gas Art Pas New CELSIOR Net Lay the show Neking ble e dh PATRON An TH Fotal 24 ANAR Romantics
Romcoms might not have prepared me for modern dating, but they offered a timeless sartorial guide to falling in love.
Making a Case for India's Ingenuity
William Dalrymple says The Golden Road is an extraordinary story but also the most challenging book he has written in the last two decades.
On My Playlist
Playback singer turned indie-pop artiste Dhee talks about music, identity, and empowering a new generation.
Explicitly Bold
The latest lipstick range by Nars is designed to empower wearers with colour and confidence.