We had the good fortune of connecting with Shaghayegh Cyrous and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Shaghayegh, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
“I was born in Tehran, Iran, and being an Iranian/Persian woman born in Iran and later becoming a refugee in the United States has undeniably exerted a profound influence on my life. This transformative experience has significantly shaped both my daily life and professional career in various ways.
Growing up in Iran, I witnessed the restrictions imposed on women, including limitations on singing, dancing, and personal attire. There existed immense societal pressure and a concerted effort by the Iranian government to exert control over women and the general population. Pursuing a career in the arts during that time was particularly arduous, especially for women. Not only did it defy the expectations of my family, who favored traditional paths like engineering or medicine, but society and the government also stigmatized artistic pursuits, branding those who engaged in them as lacking intelligence or being potential troublemakers.
Upon relocating to the United States, I encountered the prevailing prejudice against the SWANA region (South West Asia, North Africa). This often left me feeling uncomfortable and occasionally astonished by the inquiries made regarding women in Iran. I realized that there was a dearth of comprehensive information highlighting the distinction between the Iranian government and its people, as well as the ongoing struggles between the two. It was during my time in graduate school that the world was stunned by the election of President Trump, whose administration labeled Iranians, alongside individuals from six other countries, as official terrorists in the US. Although the Islamic Republic of Iran certainly merits scrutiny and caution, this decision predominantly impacted innocent individuals, rather than the government itself. Consequently, I found myself modifying the focus of my projects in graduate school to address refugee issues and shed light on Iran, while actively engaging in community organization and curating initiatives aimed at fostering understanding of the SWANA community from their unique perspectives.
Furthermore, the profound impact of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 served as a source of inspiration for our community. Witnessing individuals bravely speaking out against injustice and amplifying their voices encouraged me to initiate numerous projects centering on the SWANA and Iranian communities. One such project, the Zamin Project, brought together SWANA artists, educators, and art leaders for a series of interviews and panel discussions focused on the theme of ‘Creating Our Own Resources.’
Among my other notable endeavors is ‘When the Sun Rotates,’ a video installation on top of San Francisco’s tallest building, the Salesforce Tower’s renowned artist Jim Campbell’s project. This installation pays homage to the resilience of Iranian women who continue to fight for their rights.
In summary, my journey as an Iranian/Persian woman born in Iran and later becoming a refugee in the United States has profoundly impacted my life and professional trajectory. It has instilled in me a commitment to promoting understanding, challenging stereotypes, and advocating for the rights and experiences of the SWANA community and Iranian women through various creative projects.”
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an Iranian-American transdisciplinary artist, curator, and educator based in Los Angeles. My artistic journey revolves around exploring cross-cultural, multi-modal communications, with a special focus on illuminating the intricate expatriate experience shaped by geopolitical shifts and their intriguing distortions of time and space. My mediums for artistic expression include interactive video installations, photography, performances, and painting.
I pursued my Bachelor’s in Visual Art at Science and Culture University in Tehran. I later earned my Master of Fine Arts in Social Practice from California College of the Arts in San Francisco. As a passionate advocate for connecting and empowering artists from the Southwest Asian / North African arts community, I established the Zamin Project, dedicated to fostering collaboration and growth in the Bay Area and beyond.
During my time as a Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) Fellow, I had the honor of participating in Creative Dissent, a project led by the esteemed artist and activist Tania Bruguera. Additionally, I made meaningful contributions to Suzanne Lacy’s exhibition, “We Are Here.”
Recognition of my artistic endeavors came in the form of an honoree award for Culturally Diverse Women “Making a Difference” in 2023, a prestigious acknowledgment shared with the esteemed Mayer Karen Bass in Los Angeles. My work was also recognized with a nomination for the Gold Art Prize. Throughout my career, I have been privileged to showcase my art and performances on the international stage at renowned venues such as Tehran MOCA, British Museum in London, Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, Institut für Alles Mögliche in Berlin, Germany, Anchorage Museum in Alaska, Salesforce tower in San Francisco, and Netflix Invisible Billboard in Los Angeles.
Through my artistic expressions, I aim to forge connections, challenge perceptions, and evoke emotions that transcend cultural boundaries. As I continue to explore and create, I remain committed to making a positive impact in the art world and beyond, using my art as a platform to bridge gaps and foster understanding.
I am proud of always being motivated and having the curiosity and eagerness to learn and explore new things and territories. My curiosity always makes me an explorer and helps me use the challenge for a next and new perspective and experience. I started to do art professionally at a young age when my teachers recommended that my parents let me take it seriously. I started with painting and photography. I got my first 48 Fabercustle color pencil when I was 7 (which I still have) and my first Canon camera from my dad in the second grade of middle school. Although I studied science at the beginning due to society’s pressure, I put myself out by a revolutionary act to study all 4 years of art high school in 2 months of summer and change my field of study from science to art.
First, I studied Graphic Design, which was a more convincing art field for my parents to accept, and then gave the exam again and studied painting. Since I always thought I was behind my classmates at school, I attended all talks, seminars, exhibitions, and anything related to art when I was an undergrad. In fact, many people were confused about which school I was really going to and attending all classes from different schools, and hanging out with everyone! I loved this about myself that I was always into exploring and not giving up and listening to anyone who was always judgmental.
When I was in Iran, my art was mainly focused on. Color, as the government back then was focusing on censoring and encouraging specifically women to wear dark. Colors. In fact, I got arrested for wearing yellow a few times. I was studying Persian miniature and traditional Persian clothes, which there are full of colors. I was wearing them and also had an exhibition where I combined painting, audio, and performance to talk about color censorship in Iran and remind people how important it is to fight and not let the government wash out our culture, music, and dance.
After the Green Movement in 2009, I had more of an eye-opening regarding political events that were happening back in Iran. Witnessing all artists getting arrested one after another and so many galleries and institutions getting closed by the government, I felt there won’t be any future for me in Iran, and I wanted to sync with the contemporary art and world outside. I moved to San Francisco and got my MFA at California College of the Arts. Before attending school, I didn’t know anyone. I was terrified by the cultural differences. I brought a rug that I painted on burlap from my last solo show in Tehran and started to install it in the city to get attention. I was so curious to learn about people from different cultures that I never had a chance to see back in Iran. I didn’t know how to learn about them and start a conversation, so the rug became a tool for communication. When I installed it, people came to me and asked if I was from Iran. Later on, other people reached out to me and asked if they wanted to travel with the rug as well. The rug traveled in over 57 cities worldwide with over 30 people. After 12 years, I have so many friends and connections that I owe my rug.
I also got interested in the compression of time and space. Since I could only connect to my family and friends through video chats, I started using live video feed for my video installations. For instance, I could be able to sync the sunrise and sunset of San Francisco and Tehran due to 11.5 hours time difference. I had a live feed video to Tehran where the sun was rising in 1 hour and a half, and simoutinouly, the sun was setting at the gallery in San Francisco. It was so magical and incredible experience for me and the audience.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have so many favorite spots in LA! Of course, as an Iranian, LA is heaven if you want to avoid being homesick! I love Westwood! There is amazing Persian food that I adore! The taste of Persian food in LA is close to Iran, and it makes me close to home! There is a unique bookstore that sells Persian (Farsi) books! In Iran, most of these books were censored or illegal, even if they were literature or poetry books. But this bookstore reminds me of Enqelab Square bookstores in Tehran. A neighborhood where most of the amazing universities are located and the fantastic bookstores, cafes, theatres, and galleries are located. This one bookstore brings me back to that neighborhood. I hope this bookstore survives, as the owner mentioned; it’s hard to keep it as most new generations of Iranians, unfortunately, can not read Farsi.
For food, Sholeh, Shamshiri, and Cafe Glace (remember their Persian pizza and Persian nachos and their kuku sabzi sandwich!)
I like Advocarsy Art Gallery in West Hollywood and Hamzianpour Gallery in Wilshire, which are Persian own and focused galleries in LA! I love Getty Center, LACMA, MOCA, and so many museums and art spaces, as you can experience artworks by diverse artists. MOCA and LA Art Core are great to visit to see their art and then go to Japan town and enjoy excellent Japanese food.
Malibu Beach is fantastic to enjoy the sunshine and the ocean! And more!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have so many inspirations in my life, from my parents, who supported me despite the fact that art wasn’t a common major of study in Iran, to how my dad connected me to Hosein Khosrojerdi, a well-known artist in Iran who became my mentor and is now based in London. He encouraged me to connect to my inner self and find myself as an artist, never give up and always find smart ways to use my time in the befit of art. He encourages me always to be creative, look at life and art from various angles, and not be afraid to try new things.
Early on, in 2009, I got inspired by Shirin Neshat. Who was one of the first Iranian woman artists to become well-known globally? Who also did a hunger strike for us in Iran during Green Movement to bring attention to the revolution that was happening inside Iran. She was a true inspiration from how she overcame her fear and challenges as a refugee and Iranian woman and to who she is today.
I got inspired by Taraneh Hemami, who I got connected with in San Francisco and who supported me in finding my path through Social Practice art and who connected all artists from my generation (new immigrants and refugees) not only to one another but to the art world in California.
I got inspired by Tania Bruguera, who showed me that even if I was in prison in Iran, I still could find a way to fight and be creative and not lose myself in the situation. How to use my voice and art to find ways to change the circumstance not only for me but for so many others.
I have so many people I can name who shaped my artistic career and me and who, motivated me, helped me. to look at life from a different angle to support me in moving forward with no doubt and fear.
Website: www.shcyrous.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaghayeghcyrous/
Linkedin: shaghayeghcyrous@gmail.com
Youtube: https://youtu.be/O3NYwfURCyk
Image Credits
Shaghayegh Cyrous