Review of Sheida Soleimani: To Oblivion at Edel Assanti

31 January 2017

Sheida Soleimani: To Oblivion

Edel Assanti

20 January – 18 February 2017

Brought up with the stories of her parents’ dramatic escapes as political refugees from Iran, Sheida Soleimani (b1990) only discovered that this was not the norm, at the age of six, when she began school and learned English. Having been in hiding for three years, her father made his escape on horseback over the mountains. Her mother was captured and held prisoner, tortured and raped, for a long time thereafter. Finally having been released, she and her young daughter (Sheida’s older sister) were reunited with her husband in Ohio, where Sheida was born and brought up. At art school, Soleimani wanted to make work about her parents’ experiences, but, on the advice of her tutor, realised she needed to contextualise her stories. Her first major success, National Anthem (2016), exploring Iran’s turbulent past and present through still life and self-portrait, lost her the right to Iranian citizenship. Her latest work, some of which is on show in the solo exhibition, To Oblivion, at Edel Assanti, continues in the same vein, speaking out about the disappearances, rapes and murders of women in Iran today.

Read the full review here

Interview with Mat Collishaw

30/11/15

Interview: Mat Collishaw

Mat Collishaw 

New Art Gallery, Walsall

25 September 2015 - 10 January 2016

Mat Collishaw: In Camera 

Library of Birmingham

18 September 2015 - 10 January 2016

At first glance, Mat Collishaw’s photographs and zoetropes are exquisite: flowers, butterflies, fairies and carousels. Look a little closer, however, and all is not as it seems: the flowers are rotting from the inside out, the butterflies are disintegrating, the fairies are but deception, and the entertaining roundabout is a repetitive cycle of violence and cruelty. Collishaw’s works make his audience feel attracted and repelled; intrigued and appalled; ashamed and complicit. And this is precisely the artist’s intention. Recognising human nature as both good and bad, Collishaw wants to explore the evil inherent within us all, believing that to face our own demons with honesty might be a step towards making the world a better place.

Collishaw (b1966), who is based in London, is currently exhibiting at both the Library of Birmingham and the New Art Gallery Walsall. He spoke to Studio International about his new works, his recurring themes and interests, and his views on the proliferation of violence.

Read this interview here