“For more than a decade, Iranian-born artist Bahar Behbahani has explored the complexities of memory and loss through cultural symbols closely tied to her origins. Her work in a range of media reveals a sense of place both volatile and ambivalent; the artist expresses her state of mind in a visual language that blurs the line between personal and shared history. Persian Gardens, a new series of paintings, is a revealing meditation on colonialism. The compositions-ornamented with collective memories-re-enact the essence of Eastern philosophy from an orientalist perspective. The cultural architecture of Persian gardens is shown through the eyes of Western travelers at the turn of the 19th century.”
— Cathy Byrd, independent curator and critic  → See full essay