Elham Goodarzi was born and raised in Iran. Currently
residing in Tehran, Elham has studied architecture and, through her instagram
feed, she documents day-to-day life while also highlighting her artwork that
distinguishes her history, culture and perspective on the modern world.
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| Elham's artwork recently posted on instagram |
In the wake of our exploration (in Photographer Series #25) of Maria Sheila Miani's insertion of today's fashion
icons into well known impressionist paintings, ishotkatemoss was particularly
attracted to Elham's collages that utilized miniatures and other Persian
symbolism contrasted with modern western imagery.
iskm: How would you describe your artwork?
Elham Goodarzi (EG): My artwork is created influences by
time; the time that has passed, the time that will come and the time that I'm
currently living. And the fact that, in my opinion, there is no more that much
of difference between “eastern” culture and “western” culture. And what we
currently have at least in my country is a combination of different cultures
and some times it’s weird but necessary.
iskm: Do you feel that the interaction of time and
influence, is specifically unique and different in Iran?
EG: Well I think you can experiment with this interaction in
Iran more than any other place. We had a rich and brilliant culture and
fortunately we kept it for hundreds of years and now the interaction between
our heritage and what we have now has created this big contradiction in our
lives. On the other hand we have a growing western culture and our desire to
reach a modern lifestyle. The combination of all of this had influence my work
a lot.
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| Elham's collage, "Brought out of heaven" |
iskm: Is your work primarily collage?
EG: Well I don't always do collage but collage is one way
for me to put my ideas on paper as soon as possible. I also use video arts
as well. I see all this as a process, a process to come up with an description
of my life and sometimes just putting colors on canvas of attaching pieces of
pictures together seems not to work out, so I have to search and experience
other ways like digital art or even architecture.
iskm: Why do you use images of kate moss?
EG: Kate moss is the girl that everyone wants to be and
everyone wants to be with. Of course, not everyone ;)
iskm: Even in Iran?
EG: Kate Moss is a sample and picture of what everyone
wants to be. Of course in Iran like anywhere else in word people have ideals
and none, in many respects, of them are that far from what Kate Moss is and
Marilyn Monroe was once.
iskm: How do you search and choose your source images?
Are you looking for specific styles? Specific artists? How do you select the
image to insert?
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| "Kate Moss turns saint" |
EG: It is all about the idea and picture I have in my mind
and how I develop that. Most of the images in my works are from the internet.
Often I search for something specific. Sometimes what I choose is something
completely different and sometimes what I see in my searches changes my
whole idea. I usually don’t do any specific changes to the image just have to
crop them.
iskm: You use Persian miniatures often in your collages
- why?
EG: The choosing of miniatures is a clear reference to my
Persian culture. Persian miniatures amuse me in so many ways. Particularly the
way that it stops time and in its weird perspective tells you a story.
iskm: Can you explain the idea of contrasting an ancient
form, such as miniatures, with the modern expression of a playboy image?
EG: I have had this thing with Persian miniature for
quite a long time. I see miniatures as a strong way to tell a story on one small
piece of paper, modern life fits in miniature quite well. Even with a Playboy
picture.
iskm: Why playboy imagery specifically?
EG: Playboy is a manly company with manly products. In that
context I had to offer all those men a present. So what’s better that a Playboy
bunny as a gift?
iskm: Has playboy been present in Iran for some time, or only
arrived recently?
EG: Playboy never had been present in Iran as far as I
know, but everyone accesses the internet and so you can see the images anytime
you want.
iskm: Is any of the content you are searching for, playboy
or otherwise, ever blocked? Do you have trouble accessing images?
EG: About the internet, sometimes there is trouble with some
websites but people know how to deal with them. And I guess besides that
problem we can access any content.
iskm: Much of your artwork comments on the role and/or perception of the role of women and their
sexuality. Can you speak to how and why you choose such symbols and engage in
such conversation?
EG: What I was trying to tell was what everyone are
whispering, but yet are afraid to talk about it. I guess some people still are
shy about their sexual life and generally their personal life. But today we are
far away from anything personal. All we want to do is to create a world that
everyone else thinks we are living, even if we are not living that life. My
conversations are based on daily real interactions that are funny but still
very true.
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| "Hyper Sexual in Castle" |
iskm: Do you think that Iran is still whispering about
women’s rights? sexuality? fashion? porn? media? etc
EG: Of course it does just as other the rest of the
world is. We access media and modern life styles quite the same as other countries
(most of the people from other countries however think we don’t). Of course the
picture that is present in media of Iran is different from what it is in so
many ways.
iskm: Which artists would you most want to most see involved
in ishotkatemoss?
EG: There are so many. One of my favorite artists is Robert
Rauschenberg. I started wondering about collage while looking at his work.
He is one of the greatest artists of all time and the presentation of his
feelings through art has influenced me a lot. I think that if Raucshenberg had
wanted to collage with Kate Moss, he would create something as interesting
as de Kooning’s Marilyn Monroe.
And while we can only dream of seeing a Rauschenberg kate,
you can actually see more of Elham’s work and ongoing perspective of life in
Iran at www.instagram/elhamgoodrz/.
And so whether you are in Tehran or New York, remember to
...
Observe. Slow Down. Shoot. Submit.
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