Golnaz Khadivi zand
Golnaz Khadivi Zand, who was born in Iran in 1974, has enriched the global art scene with her perspective. Earning a Master’s degree in Architecture from Tehran's Azad University in 2001, she shared her knowledge as a faculty member at the Islamic Azad University of Mashhad until 2007. A pivotal move to Canada in 2011 marked a new chapter in her career, shifting her focus to painting. Golnaz's art poignantly captures the migration journey through a female lens, blending figurative art with rich symbolism. Her compelling works have been showcased across diverse platforms in Canada, Zurich, Barcelona, England, and her back home country, Iran. Golnaz's dedication and vision have earned her a prestigious elected member in SCA, OSA, and CFS in Canada. She channels her creative spirit into her role as a self-employed artist and educator at Violet Art Studio, continuing to inspire and influence the art world.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Immigration is one of the most critical issues in our world today. Golnaz, as a painter and an immigrant to Canada, wanted to portray the struggles and concerns that immigrant women face. She does this in her works by combining the personal with the societal through imagery that recalls surrealism and is painted naturally. Golnaz was educated in the Middle East with the beliefs, values, traditions and culture unique to Iran. Yet, no matter what country one emigrates from, these are like the contents of a suitcase that one carries throughout one's life in a new country. In entering a new land, far from home, she recognized that she was not able to leave these behind, despite the opportunities that immigration gave her
Golnaz Khadivi Zand, who was born in Iran in 1974, has enriched the global art scene with her perspective. Earning a Master’s degree in Architecture from Tehran's Azad University in 2001, she shared her knowledge as a faculty member at the Islamic Azad University of Mashhad until 2007. A pivotal move to Canada in 2011 marked a new chapter in her career, shifting her focus to painting. Golnaz's art poignantly captures the migration journey through a female lens, blending figurative art with rich symbolism. Her compelling works have been showcased across diverse platforms in Canada, Zurich, Barcelona, England, and her back home country, Iran. Golnaz's dedication and vision have earned her a prestigious elected member in SCA, OSA, and CFS in Canada. She channels her creative spirit into her role as a self-employed artist and educator at Violet Art Studio, continuing to inspire and influence the art world.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Immigration is one of the most critical issues in our world today. Golnaz, as a painter and an immigrant to Canada, wanted to portray the struggles and concerns that immigrant women face. She does this in her works by combining the personal with the societal through imagery that recalls surrealism and is painted naturally. Golnaz was educated in the Middle East with the beliefs, values, traditions and culture unique to Iran. Yet, no matter what country one emigrates from, these are like the contents of a suitcase that one carries throughout one's life in a new country. In entering a new land, far from home, she recognized that she was not able to leave these behind, despite the opportunities that immigration gave her
$5,500.00
Oil on canvas.
30x40"
As an artist, I draw deep inspiration from the bravery and tenacity of women who boldly stand up for their rights, particularly in Iran and worldwide. For example, the feminist protests that have emerged in Iran in response to the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed for defying compulsory hijab laws, have profoundly impacted my work. As an Iranian woman, I grew up under the constraints of mandatory hijab, which represented the cultural, religious and societal restrictions imposed upon me.
My painting depicts the symbolic frame that has confined Iranian women for generations. However, I represent this frame in a misty atmosphere, obscuring it from a clear view. This portrayal signifies the struggle of women in Iran, who are fighting for their freedom and autonomy, and to break free from the societal norms and cultural restrictions that have confined them for so long.
The light inside the frame symbolizes hope, the shining beacon of a future where women can freely choose who they want to be and how they want to live. The three colours, green and red, showing blood and white in her scarf, represent the map of Iran, a nod to the strength and resilience of Iranian women who have fought for their rights for generations.
Through my art, I aim to shine a light on the struggle of Iranian women and women worldwide and to give voice to their stories of courage, resilience and hope for a better future.
$5,500.00
Oil on canvas.
36x35"
Women have always been fighting for their rights on the global social scene. The obstacles in women’s path are like a skein wrapped around them, and they are always trying to unravel it. As an artist who grew up in Iran, during the struggle of the women in my homeland in 2023, many of them lost their eyes just for demanding basic rights like not wearing a hijab or dancing. This truly represents a deep pain in trying to unravel this perplexing skein, a large part of which lies in social laws and another part in beliefs, traditions, and complex cultural issues that women in the Middle East are contending with. This fight to escape from this deep pain continues.