Assal Karimi Izadi

Castle

October 8 -24, 2021

Artist Talk: Sunday, October 10, 2021 at 1pm

The paintings of castles in this exhibition are based on Assal Karimi Izadi’s relationship to the Gravensteen ruins in Ghent where she worked. As an Iranian having grown up in Belgium, she works with the mixed duality of being neither Belgian or Iranian. Finding herself in between worlds, the castle allowed for the blending of past and present. Persian patterns are painted on top of the old European architecture. Initially, the series Castle was a way of recalling the memories of Izadi’s time spent at this fortress. The more she advanced in her paintings, the more she saw Persian influences appear, originating from her Persian roots. Her connection to Western cultures brought her closer and closer to her Eastern culture, as if to reconcile Izadi with a past buried deep within her. Through this artistic journey she started the quest for her own identity.

This exhibition is part of the national Culture Days celebration taking place from September 24-October 24. Check out the Culture Days website for more information and search for all of Xchanges free activities.

About the Artist

Assal finished her Diploma of Fine Arts at the Vancouver Island School of Art in April 2021. Previously she earned her BA in Tourism and has travelled extensively and has allowed those travels to build memories and influence her artwork.