Elham Bayati

My works are episodic, and my mind is layered. My works are about woman’s living in different times at the same time. These layers let you see all these paradoxical worlds in the same frame. I visually narrate thousand years of Persian women’s souls- tired souls, conveying the pressures of hegemonic masculinity and a society which tries to ignore them; I narrate their love, anger, silence, sadness and happiness. My works are about my vision about myself as an Iranian, my sense of reality, my identity. I paint the many flowers that grew even though patriarchal society tried to cut them. They reflect the floral patterns that remind me of my grandmother’s scarf, and my mother’s dress-making fabrics. These patterns signify the beauty of a peaceful point in the middle of the dark life of contemporary Iran.

In my works I use fabrics, collage and different types of printing, and combine(layers) my         drawings with prints and patterns with figures of women. In my dreams I reconcile two worlds: I strive to illustrate a rich, colorful culture that has been faded by the dark shade of sadness.

www.elhambayati.com

Elham Bayati lives in Columbus-Ohio (Born-Tehran Iran), received her BFA and MA from Tehran-Iran and MFA from Columbus college of art and design. She is Permanent Member of Society of Iranian Painters (SIP) and, Core member of Phoenix. Rising printmaking. Columbus-Ohio.

Floral fabrics are the main source of inspiration in her pieces. Floral patterns for her are a feminine world that reminds her grandmother’s scarf, and her mother’s dress-making fabrics. These patterns signify the beauty of a peaceful point in the middle of the dark life of contemporary Iran. She usually uses different layers of fabrics as collage, printing and combine(layers) her drawings with figures of women, memories and familiar objects of life.

She has been awarded first place from Ohio art-league in the fall juried exhibition in 2018. She participated in a lot of group painting exhibitions in different countries. She was one of the artists of the exhibition in Akron Museum of Art (More is More), which introduced contemporary artists in 2021.

Curriculum Vitae

Permanent Member of Society of Iranian Painters (SIP)
Core Member of Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative – Columbus, Ohio

Education Background:
2016-2018: MFA in Visual Art; Columbus College of Art & Design – Columbus, OH
2003-2006: M.A.in Painting; University of Art- Tehran-Iran.
1998-2003: B.A. in Painting; University of Art- Tehran-Iran.
1995-1999: B.A. Diploma in Art; Plastic Art School- Tehran-Iran.

Academic Papers (research):
Study in TRANS-AVANT GARDE movement (Neo Expressionism in ITALY):
Mimmo Paladino-Francesco Clemente-Enzo Cucci-Sendro Chia.

Awards:
Ohio Art League: Has been awarded First Place in the Fall Juried Exhibition 2018/ Shot Tower Gallery

News/Press:
Columbus Alive News-Feb. 2019
https://www.columbusalive.com/entertainment/20190206/arts-preview-elham-bayati

NotRealArt-2022
https://notrealart.com/mixed-media-artist-elham-bayati-power-of-persian-women/