NEGIN SHARIFZADEH
Artist Statement
Growing up in one of the most complex regions of the world, during a time of war, social tension and political upheavals, made flux and uncertainty inherent to my world view. I was raised steeped in the history and culture of the region, yet nothing could be taken for granted, everything could be leveled in a moment. History was a force that erupted in daily life, upending everything.
This background made me interested in the small histories, the stories that define us as individuals. In these microcosms can be found all the forces of history writ large, but on a scale that is conceivable and identifiable. Myths are written, not about peoples and nations, but about individuals, for just this reason. I look to find the reflection of the mythic and universal in the ordinary tragedies and triumphs that make up the lives we move through.
I have taken advantage of my A.I.R Residency to push my work into new areas, merging my personal history with an ongoing obsession with detective stories and noir films. I have always been inspired by the genre—China Town, Lost Highways, Double Indemnity, La Jetée, Twin Peaks. The search for hidden truth behind complex realities, and even the sense of the futility of such a search, all resonated with the complex realities I grew up with. I am aiming to capture that sense sense of mystery, but also ambiguity, the absolute lack of a center that might hold.
Although the time frame of the fellowship won't allow me to finish a feature film, I'm offering my audience an experience of walking through the story to experience the traces and ephemera of a film that is still not in existence. The process of filmmaking becomes another layer of mystery. Deciphering a fragmented narrative through the pieces available, another part of the detective work.
My animated films grew out my sculptural and performing arts practices, the two mediums I studied academically. All the characters, props and objects are made by hand, then manipulated and moved to be shot in camera, frame by frame. I am excited to be adding live-action into this mix, distilling the essence of performance through all the details of a face, a longing look, and combining it with the animation and sculptural work to create an immersive experience.
Past Solo Exhibitions:
Inspector Sorrow, 2016
Past Group Exhibitions:
Who Cares?, 2017