Real State

Interview-In Conversation with Shirana Shahbazi About Her Solo Show in Emkan Gallery

Shirana Shahbazi, Schaedel-01-2001, c-print on aluminium, 90 × 70, 2007. Image courtesy the artist and Collection Pictet. 

by Kimia Akhtari, Darz

Kimia Akhtari (KA): Tell us about your first encounter with photography. What led you to choose this medium?

Shirana Shahbazi (SS): I originally wanted to become a photojournalist — that’s how it all began. I had the usual expectations that came with that aspiration, but I soon realized how idealistic that thinking was. That realization pushed me to re-examine my artistic language and what I wanted from photography.

KA: If you were to define your artistic journey in a few stages, what would they be?

SS: During my studies, I entered with the idea of photojournalism and left with a completely different approach. Understanding and articulating that shift was, in itself, a major question for me. My thesis marked the first concrete step in my practice. After that, I decided what paths I didn’t want to continue and began to travel.

After a period of traveling and combining earlier works from Iran with newer ones, I had 2 children and spent some time in the studio, developing my still-life works. Later, I returned to exploring perspective, and in many ways, each stage naturally led to the next.

Now, after moving through all these phases and creating a space for myself that I’ve fought hard for, I find myself drawn to more personal subjects. This is reflected in my recently published book, in which I’ve tried to visualize, through photography, the multiplicity of spaces that exist within the human mind and heart.

KA: Over the years, your practice has expanded beyond photography to include mediums such as printmaking. What motivated you to cross these boundaries?

SS: Because it’s a more interesting journey! That said, I have set boundaries for myself. It’s quite easy to turn a photograph into a painting or a film, but I wanted to create a space where the viewer could reconsider what photography as a medium can do.

KA: What was the first image or idea that sparked this exhibition?

SS: First of all, it had been many years since I last exhibited in Iran, and I really wanted to show my work here again—that was the initial motivation. Also, because my work isn’t very well-known in Iran, I wanted to offer both a broad overview of my work and select specific pieces for this exhibition. All the works you see in this show were made at least ten years ago but have been curated specifically for this space.

KA: In creating this exhibition, which part excited you more — producing the works or installing them in the gallery space?

SS: Without a doubt, working on the installation after arriving in Tehran was the most exciting part. Especially because several pieces were produced here, and I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with everyone involved in bringing the show together.

KA: In your statement, you mention that your sense of belonging has gradually faded. What does that experience mean to you? Does it stem from living between two cultures or from a constantly shifting artistic practice?

SS: The statement is actually part of a longer text meant to introduce myself, so in a way, it’s connected to my biography. It’s not that I feel a lack of belonging, but rather that the kind of belonging I experience isn’t fixed or easily accessible. It’s more complex and nuanced. That openness, that multiplicity, is deeply tied to my emotions.

KA: Is there a specific image, color, or material that lies at the center of this exhibition?

SS: Not at all. In fact, what’s important to me is that none of them take center stage. Despite the limitations of time, space, and resources, I wanted to create a sense of material diversity, in scale, framing, and even through interventions like painting the gallery’s walls and floors, allowing the space itself to become part of the exhibition.

KA: In your statement, you emphasize translation and perspective, not only linguistically but also visually. How do these ideas manifest in this exhibition?

SS: For example, if you look at the series of lithographs, each image on the wall is the result of several layers of process. They began with simple photographs taken during a trip, which were later printed, rephotographed in a different location, and then transformed again through lithography. These prints aren’t standard four-color works, they’re dual-channel prints using additional pigments. Therefore, these works evolved through repetition, and it seems that each stage altered their character in a different way. All these layers together create an image where the stages can no longer be separated, they merge into a single, inseparable entity.

KA: In this exhibition, the boundaries between photography, installation, and architecture seem very fluid. How do these three disciplines interact?

SS: It’s not just photography, installation, and architecture, the viewer’s presence is also a crucial element. The way they enter and move through the exhibition matters deeply. In arranging the works, I think of the viewer’s movement and see them as part of the work itself; the show has no real meaning without them. Also, I believe the exhibition space has inherent qualities that are often overlooked but I like to let the space itself participate in the exhibition.

KA: Your practice often moves between abstraction and representation. Where do these tensions become most significant in this exhibition?

SS: It’s easy to describe these works as abstract, but in fact, they originate from analog photographs, from real scenes I once captured. If we return to that initial moment, the conversation about the photographic medium becomes far more interesting.

KA: Emkan Gallery has a distinct architectural identity. How did the space influence the way the works were displayed or the final form of the exhibition?

SS: First, it was through the Baygan Foundation, located above Emkan Gallery, that I met the gallery team. Once I saw the space and its unique architectural play, it immediately felt right, I knew I wanted to show my work here.

KA: You’ve worked internationally for many years. Did returning to exhibit in Iran feel like revisiting a memory?

SS: Not exactly, I’ve always traveled back and forth to Iran. But my life had been structured in a way that didn’t leave much room for certain projects. I had two young children, who are now older. Also, during these years, the art scene in Iran changed dramatically. Everything has evolved over the past two decades, and I have deep respect for what’s happening here now. That’s why, at this point, it felt especially important to show my work in Iran.

KA: You work with a range of materials — from ceramics and fabric to aluminum and pigments. What led you to the materials featured in this exhibition?

SS: Several factors shaped the choice of materials in this exhibition. I wanted to include both small and large scale works and to use a variety of printing techniques, from simple silkscreens to more complex processes. Great care also went into selecting the frames, allowing the material interplay to become more visible and dynamic.

 

More images here

Via Darz