Vienna, September 2022.

Concept

In an audiovisual installation, “Present Pasts: The Kaleidoscope of Persian Diaspora Identity,

the artist access the interplay between time, memory, and identity. Crafted from expanding foam, a symbolic “memory” softly melts from a window-like frame, evoking the bittersweet sense of a home away from home in diaspora for the artist. the audio recording delves into retrospective nostalgic fragments of memories shared by 3 generations.

By traversing backward in time to the Islamic revolution of Iran (1979) and the pre-revolution period, audience embark on a journey through the collective memory of the artist’s family. Absent during those pivotal moments, the artist relies on family recollections and inherited memories, blurring the boundaries of personal and collective experiences. as viewers confront the ephemerality of time and the ever-shifting perspectives that threaten to dissolve these narratives, akin to melting ice cream.