In Praise of the Unknown.

Abstract

My artistic vision for In Praise of the Unknown embodies a profound inner quest intertwined with my physical journeys across diverse cultures and landscapes. The installation mirrors the complexity of my personal journey, oscillating between the individual self and the collective synthesis of cultural influences. Embracing the diasporic condition, In Praise of the Unknown is an empowering journey, a celebration of the inherent power of the self within the "other." I embody this sense of otherness rooted in my experience within a patriarchal system, extending it through my perspectives during my nomadic travels to present an unfamiliar state of metamorphosis. As a woman born in Iran, I've experienced secondary status to men. My focus on diaspora and liberation, therefore, unfolds through the deconstruction, displacement, and transformation of my female body, redefining otherness as a source of empowerment and challenging conventional victim narratives.