Elham Shafaei
With roots in Iran and a global perspective, Elham Shafaei creates art that resonates beyond borders. An internationally exhibiting artist and curator, her work delves into themes of identity and culture. Now based in the UAE, she is also the Co-Founder and Co-Editor of ContemporaryIdentities, a platform dedicated to exploring contemporary art practices worldwide.
Biography
Elham Shafaei is an Iranian artist, curator and researcher whose work explores identity, cultural memory and contemporary social narratives. Drawing upon her international academic and artistic background, she develops multidisciplinary projects that examine the intersections of place, belonging and cultural exchange through both artistic practice and curatorial engagement.
Artist Books: In My Skin, Heart and Nerves
Organised into seven thematic categories, these artist books explore identity, memory, and self-perception through the artist’s experience as an Iranian woman living abroad. Stitching serves as both a symbolic and physical process, weaving together memories, language, and emotion. Inspired by Persian artistic traditions, abstract forms, poetry, and Farsi calligraphy are intricately stitched onto fabric, transforming language into a visual expression of culture and spirituality. The works invite viewers to engage through sight, touch, and sound, with recordings of stitching and spoken Persian enhancing the experience. Together, they offer a deeply personal, multi-sensory reflection on culture, belonging, and identity.
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