My name, Azadeh, means "free-spirited" in Persian, a concept that embodies the essence of my artistic journey. This sense of infinite possibility and liberation from convention inspired me to step away from my original path and embrace art as my medium of self-expression. At first glance, my painting practice may appear purely abstract and gestural, but beneath the surface lies a deeply personal and autobiographical narrative.
Having experienced the upheaval of being uprooted and exiled at a young age, I carry invisible scars that have shaped me in profound ways. Yet these experiences have gifted me with resilience, adaptability, empathy, and a heightened awareness of the world around me. They instilled a deep appreciation for history, place, bias, manipulation, and the multiplicity of perspectives, elements that inform and enrich my work.
A pivotal aspect of my creative process is painting on a canvas placed on the floor. This approach enables two vital elements of my practice: movement and perspective. Engaging my entire body in a dance-like choreography, I move around the canvas, painting from different angles. This physicality frees my mind while sharpening my awareness of the unseen. It allows me to explore and incorporate a multiplicity of viewpoints, bringing depth and complexity to the work.
Whether through painting or my more recent exploration of photography, a unifying thread runs through my art practice: inviting people to slow down, focus their gaze, and fully engage their sense of observation. My works are intentionally quiet and understated, requiring the viewer to pause, look closely to actively uncover their layered meanings. By encouraging this mindful act of looking, I aim to reveal the beauty in noticing the unseen.
Azadeh is a London-based
Iranian-American painter and photographer.
Her work has been exhibited in Europe (Basel,
London, Frankfurt, Paris), the Middle East
(Amman, Cairo, Dubai) and the United States
(Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC).