Moozhan Ahmadzadegan at Kelowna Community Theatre
Influenced by social and political themes, Moozhan Ahmadzadegan’s current work aims to question what it means to be a queer Persian-Canadian. Moozhan’s artistic process allows him the ability to explore themes of identity such as sexuality, race and nationality. How is cultural identity recognized, and how is nationality defined?
In the series of works Persian/Canadian he is investigating these inquiries by utilizing textile patterns and decorative motifs of both Canadian and Persian culture with an anonymous, abstracted face, in hopes of better understanding his Persian and Western cultural identity, and addressing relevant social issues. In other works he continues to explore identity in regards to gender and sexuality.
By creating abstracted anonymous faces, Moozhan is inviting the viewer to identify with the figure and contemplate their own identities. This is evident in the series Me, Myself, I, and You, where each figure is clearly the same person, yet welcomes observers to recognize themselves within the pieces. These are all conceptual themes that are common in his artistic practise and they operate as both personal and socio-political.
Moozhan aims to create pieces that require contemplative thinking, and that provoke a response in the viewer. In addition, Moozhan hopes to continue his artistic practise by being further engaged with critical thinking, personal discovery, experimentation, and his local arts community. To see more of his work, visit moozhan_art_and_design on instagram.