One to Watch
Shabnam Parvaresh
Shabnam Parvaresh was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1983, and currently lives and works in Germany. She received her BFA in Painting at the University of Science and Culture, Tehran. She has a background in music as well: she was a clarinetist in the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, a member of the Music Association Tehran, and a member of the Visual Arts Association. She is currently studying Jazz Clarinet in Osnabrück, Germany at IFM.
Shabnam’s musical background greatly informs her painterly practice. Inspired by music and sound, her abstract expressionistic paintings are an attempt to visualize sound with paint, which is applied to the canvas in a rhythmic manner. Unlike a musical arrangement, though, Shabnam’s painterly compositions do not end after a predetermined amount of time; instead, the canvas invites the viewer to remain a while and try to decipher the hidden forms that dance across the surface.
What are the major themes you pursue in your work?
Art is a creation of man, and each category of art is a reflection of emotion and sensation of human kind. Any theme that affects humans on an individual or global level could be the source of our emotions. When there is censorship, the only means to escape for a painter is color and brush movement to express herself. My paintings focus on the modern human, and the reparative daily life. I portray myself struggling not to become enslaved by the challenges of the routine. Another major theme in my work is sound–different sounds from our surroundings, from the raindrops to city sounds. They all help me to shape my painting
What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
To paint for yourself without the pressure of expectations.
Prefer to work with music or in silence?
Most of the time with music. As I mentioned above, one of my major influences is sound. I am a musician too, and music and sound are tightly connected to my approach as a painter. I am interested in the concept of painting sounds to make them visible on the canvas.
If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?
I have so many favorite pieces. It is very difficult for me to choose. I would love to have an art work by Mansur Ghandriz.
Who are your favorite writers?
Sadegh Hedayat, Anton Chekhov, Franz Kafka, and Milan Kundera.
