Biography
Somaye Farhan is a multidisciplinary artist from Iran, now based in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal), who works with performance, video art, sculpture, and installations. She holds a degree in Studio Arts from Concordia University and explores themes such as intersectionality, transnational feminism, migration, memory, and identity in her work. She has performed at the Festival des Arts Enrelacés in Montreal, Quebec and exhibited at the Siddhartha Art Gallery in Kathmandu, Nepal, as well as the La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse, FOFA Gallery, and Maison de la Culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec. Her recent documentary film received an award at the Diaspora Film Festival in New York, USA, and other locations.
Artist Statement
My artistic and academic trajectory reflects my interest in exploring themes of identity, intersectionality, feminism, identity and migration, with a focus on the experiences of Iranian women. After completing my bachelor’s degree in French Language in Tehran, I traveled across Asia by bicycle, which exposed me to the complex dynamics of identity politics. This journey sparked my interest in how Iranian women are represented abroad and the challenges they face both at home and internationally. Upon immigrating to Canada, I pursued visual arts and graduated with great distinction in Studio Arts from Concordia University. My work encompasses performance art, time-based media, and multimedia installations, investigating intersectionality, transnational feminism, migration, memory, and identity. I am interested in the social connections that dissolve the sense of otherness and challenge distorted perceptions of race, gender, and other societal labels. Collaboration and research are key components of my multidisciplinary approach. I often incorporate personal narratives and archival research into my work, and I involve marginalized communities directly in my creative projects to create spaces where underrepresented stories can be seen and heard. Currently, I am developing Silk Road Chronicles, an auto-fiction graphic novel that reflects on my journey across Asia. This project intertwines personal narratives with broader themes of identity, gender, and borders, all through an intersectional feminist lens.