Through layered, mixed-media paintings, Iranian artist Arghavan Khosravi (previously) alludes to the multivalent effects of losing freedom and human rights. Elastic cord binds her protagonists to their own limbs or surroundings, their individual characteristics partially concealed or fragmented as a result of restriction. Her subjects are often women who are confined to domestic spaces, hidden behind painted wooden panels, or physically tied to a situation or person.
Working in vibrant, saturated colors, Khosravi blends surreal imagery with the motifs of Persian textiles and architecture. The artist tells Colossal that although she still grounds her work in her experiences in Iran, she’s begun to broaden the conceptual aspects of her practice. “My goal is to have a more universal approach so women coming from different countries, cultures, and generations can relate to the paintings. The fight for gender equality is universal, and there is still a long road ahead of us,” she says.
Khosravi has a limited-edition print available through Art for Change, and her first institutional show is up through September 5 at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester. She opens a solo exhibition at Rockefeller Center on September 6 and has another slated for later this year at Stems Gallery in Belgium. Until then, find more of her work on Instagram.
The Castle, acrylic on canvas, wood panels, elastic cord, 105 x 80 x 6 centimeters
The Pomegranate Garden, acrylic on canvas mounted on shaped wood panels, 74 x 57 x 8 inches
Dreaming, acrylic on canvas, wood panel, 121 x 121 x 4 centimeters
The Stage, acrylic on canvas, wood panels, polyester rope, fifteen parts, 200 x 120 x 3 centimeters
The Garden, acrylic on canvas mounted on shaped wood panels, 59 x 71 x 6 inches
The Curtain, acrylic on canvas, wood panels, Plexiglas, polyester rope, 61 x 120 x 10 centimeters, 99 x 77 x 7 centimeters
