October 12th: Kimia Maleki
Salaam bar hamegi!
This week, Persian Circle are pleased to host Kimia Maleki, who will be discussing an exhibition she recently curated entitled “Sedentary Fragmentation”, which concerned the history of the Iranian arts scene in Chicago.
The exhibition is no longer running, so this will be a great opportunity for those of you who missed it to learn more about Kimia’s work and the history of the Iranian community in Chicago.
We hope to see you there!
Full details:
“Sedentary Fragmentation”
تجزیه ی ساکن
[This talk will be in Persian]
5:00-6:30pm
Pick Hall 218
5828 S. University Ave
Chicago, IL 60540
In 1952 an Iranian-Assyrian student Hannibal Alkhas came to the U.S to study medicine, but decided instead to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Having experienced the Midwestern art scene, he returned to Iran and started teaching at art universities, becoming one of the pioneers of Iranian contemporary art. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, many families moved to the U.S to seek a better life. These families stayed and gave birth to children who are now second generation Iranian-Americans. A few members of this generation have chosen to pursue art and have been constantly challenged by issues of identity due to their dual heritage. In 2010, despite financial hardship and sanctions, the next generation of artists came from Iran to pursue their graduate degrees in American art schools, which had been an uncommon choice for the previous 30 years. “Sedentary Fragmentation” tries to bring together Iranian voices, generations, and alumni who studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but whose practices are individual and different.
Kimia Maleki (M.A., Arts Administration and Policy, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2016; B.A., University of the Arts, Tehran, 2012) is interested in historiography, archiving, and curatorial practice, especially as pertains to Iran. She recently completed an M.A. thesis entitled “State of Art Archiving in Iran: Now & Then.” and curated two exhibitions: “Islamic Art at the Art Institute: A Century of Exhibitions and Acquisitions” (Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago, 2016) and “Sedentary Fragmentation” (Heaven Gallery, 2017).
Be omid-e didar,
Shaahin
Themocracy