Growing up in Los Angeles, I was raised in a melting pot of cultures. Brought up on the edge of the largest Persian community (outside of Iran) and attending high school in West Los Angeles, I have adopted many traits and habits from my communities. These adopted personas were in conflict with the Persian traditions my parents and grandparents had been raised with. My work explores identity whether it be ethnic, gender, sexual, political, personal, or community-oriented identity. I offer an insight into these identities while simultaneously traversing the confusing split between my ethnic Persian community and my adopted American community. These identities are weighed in the context of modern American culture.
I rediscovered painting in my Freshmen year of college at UCSB and, shortly after, joined the art major. Since then my practice has expanded beyond painting. My work consists of various media including sculpture, installation, collage, mixed media, performance, and painting