Nilou Kazemzadeh

About the Artist

Artist's Statement

Nilou Kazemzadeh is an Iranian-American artist who creates work inspired by the social and environmental influences that shapes ones identity. She studies and incorporates imagery found in Persian, and Middle Eastern arts into her work. She is interested in observing the intersections found between race, class, and gender in relation to family and separation, childhood and growth, womanhood and destiny. Her main mode of expression is through calligraphy and printmaking. She writes or carves Farsi calligraphy over various surfaces, such as family photographs, woodblocks and paper, creating a layered and multifaceted image. The process of handwriting the calligraphy becomes meditative as the Farsi flows across each piece, allowing time for reflection. She also creates floating prints that are displayed off the wall to represent the unique movement and growth of ones identity and spirituality. The purpose of her work is to act as a catalyst of representation in an often-polarizing society in hopes of facilitating meaningful conversation and understanding.