Meet Banafsheh (Violet)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Banafsheh (Violet) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Banafsheh (Violet), why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
The inner journey was my only choice — and it led me to art.
I was searching for my own philosophical questions when I found myself — and from there, art — without choosing it, and without knowing I was a creator.
Growing up in post-revolution Iran meant living under the heavy shadow of restrictions for women, artists, and thinkers. My search took shape in silence and constraint. In moments when I faced deep philosophical pain — a pain that would later take form, after my migration to the United States, as my art projects, I realized I didn’t fit into pre-made molds or imposed mindsets. I immersed myself in the study of Eastern and Western culture and philosophy, recognizing my own questions reflected in the intellectual and philosophical struggles of other artists and thinkers. I felt them deeply, thought about them — and this path led me to art.

My starting point was poetry — verses born from philosophical pain that touched the border between dream and truth, confronting the bitter realities of the time. Gradually, other artistic languages took my hand, allowing me to express my understanding of the world and my needs, both inner and outer, more deeply: painting, photography, filmmaking, screenwriting, and directing. Every work was a fragment of myself that I had not yet fully seen or understood.

Art became a mirror for me to see myself, and a way to let the world witness what lives within a wounded, yet unbroken, Iranian woman artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Art, for me, is a language for understanding both the inner and outer worlds — a language that is at once poetic and philosophical, where an image can reveal as much truth as a poem, and a poem can hold as much depth as a film.

My projects always begin from a shared starting point: Who am I within the hidden layers of life?
“Kaboodi” — Bruise (Persian for “bruise”) is the story of my inner journey as an Iranian woman artist — a journey expressed through a book of my poems paired with my portraits, a short film, and a feature film in progress. This project was born from both personal and collective wounds. The short film Kaboodi will soon enter festivals, opening the path for the feature film, while the book is currently in the editing stage.

What sets me apart is the way I blend a philosophical perspective with a poetic sensibility in visual storytelling. This vision led me to create Violet Views — a project born from my exploration and research in self-awareness and personal growth. Through photography and filmmaking, I invite people who have reached, or are on the path toward, self-actualization to meet their truest selves. These are people who live by human values and take responsibility toward others.

My path has not been easy. Years of silence under social and cultural constraints taught me how to create my own space without permission or official approval. My underground studio in Iran was where I learned that even in the depths of darkness, one can find their own light. Migration did not make things easier, but it opened a new window for my art to speak in a universal and borderless language.

The greatest lesson I have learned is that the most valuable art is the art of becoming human. Today, all my projects — from Kaboodi to Violet Views — are not merely collections of photographs, films, or poems, but mirrors where anyone can see a part of themselves.

For me, art has been a necessity — to survive, to understand, and to offer my small share of light to a vast darkness.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I come from a culture where hospitality is almost an art form, so when a dear friend visits, I like to make it personal. For me, the best moments are often at home — cooking fresh meals, sharing long conversations, and creating space for connection.

That said, I’d also take them to places that feed the soul. We’d visit contemporary art museums like The Broad, and maybe drop by the studios of a few photographer friends whose work I deeply admire.

For nature, I’d take them hiking in Topanga Canyon — the views there are breathtaking, and the rugged Pacific coastline feels wild and honest. We’d spend some time in Topanga’s charming corners, visit local cafés, and walk through areas where you can still sense the beauty that survived past wildfires.

I’d mix in a few favorite restaurants, some local spots in Malibu, and maybe an evening walk at Red Rock Canyon to watch the changing light. It wouldn’t be about seeing everything, but about experiencing the city in a way that feels real — where art, nature, and human connection meet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Shoutout is dedicated to the women who, with courage and love, paved the way for freedom so that we too may continue — women such as Forough Farrokhzad, Virginia Woolf, Oriana Fallaci, Marina Abramović, Shirin Neshat, Iran Darroudi, and Frida Kahlo;

to thinkers such as Rumi, Attar, Nietzsche, Freud, and Bertrand Russell; Ahmad Shamlou and Sohrab Sepehri;

to artists such as Abbas Kiarostami and Sadegh Hedayat;

to filmmakers whose works expanded my world, like Krzysztof Kieślowski with his Three Colors trilogy (Blue, White, Red) and Darren Aronofsky with Black Swan;

to experiences like Vipassana, Landmark, and the “Kalamezende” that brought me closer to myself;

and to my friends and companions, whose presence has been like a mirror helping me see myself more clearly and illuminating my path.

Website: https://violetviews.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/banafshehnavaei?igsh=c21jeHMxdjRwYm9z&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@violetnavaei4295?si=Y68YQplUyAXn9d0_

Image Credits
Directed by and Featuring Banafsheh Navaei, Photography by Banafsheh Navaei, Alireza Etemadi, Araman khani, Sasan farsani