Artist Feature: Sanaz Haeri
The Artist's Notebook
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The Artist's Notebook *
Sanaz is from the Iran, and lives in the capital, Tehran. She is one of IHRAM’s treasured artists. In this interview, she shares her musings, inspiration, and honest thoughts on her experience with us as an artist and activist.
Her latest feature with IHRAM Press is her artworks, Nymph & Private Places in IHRAM 2024 Quarterly Magazine: Reflections of Feminine Empowerment: Strength in Unity.
Thank you for all you do, Sanaz
Now be honest, how has your experience been with IHRAM Press? How did you find us and why did you choose to publish with us?
I'm so glad that there's an NGO dedicated to human rights and art at the same time and that you still believe we can make a difference with creating art; in a world that almost all areas of arts have been limited to entertainment or conservatism. I hope we can achieve our goals and your dedication can bring up the voice of artists/activists to the global attention and audiences.
Would you recommend IHRAM Press to other writers/artists?
Yes.
Share the artwork published in IHRAM Literary Magazine 2024/ or another piece that represents your Art Statement!
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
"NYMPH”
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO SANAZ HAERI
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
"PRIVATE PLACES”
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO SANAZ HAERI
Now for the fun questions! What compels you to pick up a pen or open your laptop to free-write? And what inspires/influences your writing, particularly when it comes to addressing human rights issues?
Actually the situation I live in and the challenges I have as a woman in that situation inspires me most for writing stories or making art.
The human rights concerns addressed in the IHRAM literary magazine are often complex and challenging to navigate. How do you navigate the balance between highlighting these challenges and maintaining a sense of hope or optimism in your writing?
If there's a sense of hope and optimism in my works, it's not conscious, it's simply rises from my thoughts and dreams and how I personally believe that freedom can bring brighter days for the humanity.
How do you personally connect with our mission? Particularly on the power of art and literature to influence social change, and our values of beauty as a fundamental creative principle, sincerity, vulnerability, celebrating diversity, and opening doorways of engagement.
My concerns were almost always social and political or at least related to human condition, simply as I always unconsciously included a figure in my art and have tried to focus on that figure's condition in its surrounding. so I think that's the reason I had been chosen to be published in the book of Iranian women or the literary magazine.
The IHRAM magazine aims to celebrate authors contending with their identities within the context of their environments. How does your environment influence your view of the world (your home country, city, and surrounding culture)?
As I said the first rush for me to start working is my feelings and condition in the society I live in, and the challenges I have in everyday life, so you can imagine my works as a depicted diary of a middle class artist woman living in Tehran and because I'm concerned about social matters they're not far from being social and civic.
In comparison, how does your intersectionality influence your view of the world (your personal beliefs, gender expression, religious affiliations, etc.)?
As I see it, ones work can't be unrelated to her/his thoughts and perspective so If you believe in gender equality or human equality in general, it will manifest in your work somehow. And then your work will make people think about the issue. It might sound optimistic but we can only hope to be impressive through our work. Sometimes, by letting others know what's happening around them and sometimes by being sympathetic to what they have been through.
Support Activist Artists
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Support Activist Artists *
Enjoy all of Sanaz’s previously published work:
Stockholm Independent Art Fair – October 2021 – Paadman projects
Shortlisted as a 3rd place artist (excellent art) in Living Cities contest – September 2022 - Upward Gallery
Elected artist of IHRAF (International Human Rights Art Festival) – May 2023 – New York
“Iranian Women Speak” - May 2023 – IHRAM Press Publication
Group Exhibition “Woman, Life, Freedom” – July 2023 - Vancouver, Canada - CityScape Community ArtSpace
Selected Artist of Artist Directory for Women United Art Movement – July 2023 - Czech Republic
Shortlisted artist in Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2024 – Hong Kong – May 2024
Selected artist of IHRAM Quarter 2 Literary Magazine – March 2024 –New York
You can find Sanaz on Instagram.
