Moozhan Ahmadzadegan | there hidden, far beneath and long ago.

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Moozhan Ahmadzadegan, “there hidden, far beneath and long ago,” 2025

(courtesy of Moozhan Ahmadzadegan and grunt gallery)

Opening | Thursday, February 20 | 6 PM to 8 PM.

Moozhan Ahmadzadegan is an artist based on the unceded and traditional territory of the Syilx Okanagan People, also known as Kelowna, BC. His artistic interests center on themes of queer culture, Iranian diaspora, and cultural in-betweenness. This spectrum of ideas serve as a point of access to deepen his understanding of contemporary social issues. Ahmadzadegan’s practice encompasses painting, screenprinting, textiles, and installation practices. Through these mediums, he investigates how we respond and engage with the colonial, social, and cultural structures that shape identity on personal, national, and public scales.

In there hidden, far beneath and long ago, Ahmadzadegan examines traditional Iranian art such as Persian miniatures, patterns, rugs, architecture, and poetry, and reimagines them through a queer lens. This approach symbolically carves out space for queer narratives within historically heteronormative frameworks, addressing the erasure of queer identities in various contexts. These themes resonate with the increased condemnation of queer people felt globally, including within his immediate community, in so-called Canada, and by the present government of Iran—the contemporary source of his influences.

By queering traditional Persian visuals and narratives, Ahmadzadegan reinterprets, reimagines, and reconfigures these elements to create new meanings and queer-inspired narratives. there hidden, far beneath and long ago emphasizes creative play and experimentation, allowing Ahmadzadegan to move away from overtly literal interpretations and embrace fluidity. His work serves as an entry point for exploring critical dialogues surrounding queer identity, diaspora, and cultural hybridity. Through this approach, he invites viewers to engage with these themes in nuanced and open ways.

This project was made possible with support from Canada Council for the Arts.