Hangama Amiri | Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II,

×

Expand

Hangama Amiri, “Mehmana/Guests,” 2022

chiffon, muslin, cotton, polyester, silk, velvet, vinyl, ikat-print, suede, and found fabric, 62 (H) x 83 (W) in. (courtesy of the artist and Collection of Paul and Mary Dailey Desmarais III )

Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II by Hangama Amiri features selected works from the artist’s ongoing series by the same name: intricately sewn textile wall hangings that depict scenes from a traditional pre-wedding ceremony, in which the bride’s loved ones prepare her for the big day. A new, large-scale piece created specifically for the inaugural exhibition at Medias Res Gallery will add a new dimension to the narrative and complements the other pieces on view.

“Hangama Amiri’s work is the perfect aesthetic and thematic fit for our inaugural exhibition,” says VIVA Alliance curator Maryam Babaei. “Her wall hangings reflect deeply personal and culturally specific experiences, yet they feel incredibly familiar and universally resonant. The feelings of nostalgia, loss, longing, and hope that these pieces evoke transcend cultural and geographic boundaries. Amiri’s work exemplifies the capacity of art to overcome cultural divides and generate understanding.”

Amiri is an Afghan-Canadian artist working primarily with textiles to explore themes of home, gender, social norms, and the impact of geopolitical conflict on women’s lives, particularly in Afghanistan and its diaspora. She holds a BFA from NSCAD University and an MFA from Yale University. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Mönchehaus Museum, Goslar, Germany; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT; and the Sharjah Biennial 15, UAE. She was recently featured in the 2024 Toronto Biennial of Art and has an exhibition currently on view at the Esker Foundation in Calgary.