Nastaran Azadi explores philosophical ideas in art | a look at the Iranian artist's works
Azadi utilizes various artistic media to create her works, exploring philosophical ideas in the realm of phenomenology.
Iranart: Nastaran Azadi is a conceptual artist, born in 1985 and inspired by the artists of the 90s. She pursued her studies in painting until she got a bachelor's degree. In 2021, the art website of “Artland” attributed her artworks to the YBAs or the "Young British Artists" group. Azadi utilizes various artistic media to create her works, exploring philosophical ideas in the realm of phenomenology.
In her first solo exhibition titled "|There is not| Something to See" held in 2020 at “Ace Gallery” in Tehran, Azadi succeeded in providing a unique experience for her audience. Through the creation of extreme darkness in the exhibition hall, intelligent designs with light sources, crystalline videos, and the incorporation of sound recordings from NASA's space, she managed to evoke a tumultuous and enigmatic atmosphere. Her childlike paintings within this complex environment intensified feelings of curiosity and mystery, captivating the viewers who spent extended periods of time in the exhibition hall. The intriguing arrangement of video projectors and light sources allowed the audience to become interactive participants in that artwork. Generally, playfulness and engaging the viewers are remarkable characteristics of her artworks.
Throughout her oeuvres, Azadi has consistently pursued the hidden essence of the world. In her second series titled "Repetition", she examines the concealed nature of things and the presence of void in existence once again. She believes that by becoming aware of the immense secrecy that encompasses everything, we can deepen our understanding of the pervasive void that exists around us. Understanding the presence of this void requires a transcendent perception, a pathway to identifying nothingness or the infinity. Azadi feels that exploration of what lies beyond human comprehension can occur through art. In this series, she employs different types of media such as painting, video art, and installations.
Besides creating artworks, Azadi is also passionate about studying philosophy and art. As a result, she plans research and educational projects centered around artistic themes. She has also engaged in curatorial activities and intends to expand them in the future. Currently, Azadi is occupied with the creation of her new series, once again delving into the hidden aspects of things. She states that this time her aim is to search for things in their concealments.
