Afsoon (b.1961, Tehran) is an Iranian artist with a life story spanning Iran, California, and London, where she has been based since 1988. Her art beautifully blends eastern and western influences through a combination of text, images, linocuts, and photography to produce acutely multicultural works. With a deeply personal yet universally applicable approach, Afsoon's art engages audiences with its layers of interpretation, balancing humour, playfulness, and sophistication.
For the launch of ITERARTE, Afsoon was commissioned to create Send Me a Postcard, an evocative series which bring together vintage paper cut-outs and family photos from countries she has visited. She has shown extensively worldwide, with notable exhibitions at Shirin Gallery, New York and Asia House, London. Her work is held in renowned collections including the British Museum and LACMA.
Read more about her in a feature in our magazine: Around the World with Afsoon: Cross-cultural Travels and Intricate Collages
Afsoon, 'Seven Beauties: Birds', 2023, hand printed linocut on printed Somerset artist paper. Courtesy of ITERARTE & the artist
One of the linos I used in my work, I always love seeing the lino before being printed and try to imagine how it will turn out.
THE CONFESSIONS QUESTIONNAIRE
Your name/nickname.
Afsoon.
Current mood in one word. Excited.
What is your favourite dish?
Tahdig, crusty bottom of the rice.
Tea or coffee?
Tea always.
Favourite place you’ve travelled to and why?
Mexico/India… difficult to choose.
Favourite movie?
Bill and Ted Excellent Adventure (Dir: Stephen Herek) & Nostalgia (Dir: Andrei Tarkovsky).. Love them both equally as different as they are!!
Favourite book or poem and why?
Complete work of Forough Farokhzad (Persian female poet).
Your Life Motto or favourite quote?
‘Allow yourself to imagine things that could make you happy. Even if they don’t come to pass, you will have had the pleasure of imagining them.’ Unknown Indian Guru from 1960.
What or who inspires you the most in life?
Paula Rego, Thich Nhat Hanh, Graciela Iturbide.
Three unique things about where you live?
Close to two major parks, best falafel in London, an excellent bus stop a few minutes away.
A piece of advice you’d give to your younger self.
Don’t be afraid.
How do you escape a creative block?
Take a walk.
Do you have a favourite colour?
Orange/Purple.
Favourite art tool?
Scissors.
Is your studio messy or tidy?
Tidy when I start a new work, messy by the time the piece has finished.
Why did you become an artist?
Stories to tell.
What is the most challenging or exciting thing about being an artist?
Freedom to just be what I want.
Craziest artistic experiment you've tried.
Using beetroot juice to do a whole series of watercolour, sadly they all faded away.
Funniest criticism you’ve received.
‘Don’t use green colour in your work, it doesn’t go with many decorations.’
Describe your style in three words.
Figurative, colourful, layered.
Most memorable artistic achievement.
Getting into the collection of the British Museum.
Dream collaboration (with someone dead or alive)
Doing etching with Goya.
If you could exhibit anywhere, where would it be?
Have my art projected from a moving boat on to the buildings in Venice.
CAMERA ROLL
SCRAPS
HOME
NOSTALGIA
AFSOON'S SONGS
These days I seem to be listening more to podcasts than music. However, all the albums above have a very special place in my heart. I have been listening to some of them since I was a teenager. Beside all above, I listen to a lot of world music, random artists from the Balkans or Africa.
WANT TO STAY UPDATED WITH ITERARTE LATEST ACTIVITES AND NEWS?
Sign up to our newsletter to be one of the first people to access our new art, learn all about our latest launches, and receive invites to our exclusive online and offline art events.