BIOGRAPHY
MAHNAZ SEYED EKHTIARY
Mahnaz Seyed Ekhtiary in art Mahnaz Ekhtiary, is a contemporary avant-garde Artist-Designer. She was born in Tehran, Iran, on 10/01/1985. She lives and works between Tehran and Milan.
After getting Diploma in Graphic Design, she graduated from Al-Zahra University of Art in 2008, specialist in the field of “Artwear.” Along with her artistic activity, she taught Fashion Design and Drawing in Tehran. In 2013, she left Tehran to enroll in a fashion course at the Berra Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, from which she graduated in 2017.
She installs her works on the body and makes a sculpture out of it then her paintings walk. Her study focuses precisely on the relationship between body/clothing and clothing/space. Her creations reflect on society, identity, and especially how nature relates to humans. The artist explains: “The characteristic of nature is that it never ends with a definitive image and always leaves an open image.” The viewer through her work can imagine the universe by new rules, new forms, and in a continuous transformation. In fact, in her work, it is often her own material that changes during the creation of the work. In this symbiotic interaction between the artist and the material, as well as the connection of the body with nature, there is an act of liberating the artist, which finds her answering the questions that always afflict man: his identity, role and function he performs in the world. Also, in her works, there is another meaningful element, which is the hand that is connected to psychology and philosophy. Furthermore, the artist explains: “The hand reveals the complex unconscious of human beings”. Aristotle said that the hands are the most symbolic member of the body. In addition, the hands are able to eliminate the space between two people and write the words on other’s skin.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
I don`t want to put my clothes on someone. I want to put them in his/her mind.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2023
-“Rosa Alchemico”, The 31th edition of Miniartextil, Textile and Industrial Tradition Museum, Busto Arsizio, Italy
-“Radical voice”, Sozzani Foundation, Milan, Italy
-“Postcards from Iran”, ABAO Art week, Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, Italy
-”Tribute to Piero Manzoni” , Ex studio of Manzoni, Fiori Chiari Street N16, Milan, Italy
– “The starry Night”, Textile Art Exhibition, Ablimento Milano Creative Art Fair, Superstudio Maxi, Milan, Italy
2022
– “Rosa alchemica”, 31th Edition of Miniartextile, International Fiber Art Exhibition, Villa Olmo, Como, Italy
-30th Edition of Miniartextile, International Fiber Art Exhibition, Beffroi de Montrouge, France.
2021
-“Perception from the underground”, Walk in Studio Festival, Atelier minus one, Milan, Italy.
-30 Edition of Miniartextil , International Fiber Art Exhibition, Civic Art Gallery, Como, Italy.
2020
-“Attesa ad un filo”, Fiber Art Exhibition, VI.P Studio, Walk in studio Festival, Milan, Italy.
2019
-“Expansion of the Body”, Jewelry Exhibition, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2018
-“Redefine the Jewelry”, Jewelry Exhibition, Bijou museum of Casalmaggiore, Italy.
-The second exhibition of Iranian contemporary artistic jewels, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2017
-“Splendid Persia”, Jewelry Exhibition, Bijou Museum of Casalmaggiore, Milan, Italy.
-“Fashion Graduate Italia”,Jewelry Exhibition , BASE Milan, Italy.
-“Sharing”, Jewelry Design Competition, Doxa, Milan fall design week, Italy.
-“Sharing”, Jewelry Design Competition, Fiera Milano, Italy.
-“Introspection”, Abstract Painting Exhibition, Sisal Wincity Milano, Italy.
-“Jvaher”, New Iranian Jewelry Exhibition, Bellini Museum, Florence jewelry week, Italy.
-Brera Academy Open Day, Artwear Exhibition, Milan, Italy.
2016
-“100 works, 100 artists”, Painting Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-Milan Graduate Fashion Week, Fashion Show, Mudec museum, Milan, Italy.
-“Milano Unica”, Brera Academy Exhibition in 22th edition of Italian textile fair, Italy.
2015
-“Hello Sweetie”, Artwear Exhibition, Design Box, Expo of Milan, Italy.
-“Italian Code”, sculpture Exhibition, Grimaldi Palace, The Venice Biennale, Italy.
-“Rising Sun and the land of Sun”, Montesegale contemporary art museum, Pavia, Italy.
-“The life of Elsa Schiaparelli”, Artwear Exhibition, Design Box, Expo of Milan, Italy.
-Milan Graduate Fashion Week, Jewelry Exhibition, Triennial of Milan, Italy.
-“The format follow”, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Format Gallery, Milan, Italy.
-“Homage of Emanuel Ungaro”, Artwear Exhibition, Brera Academy, Milan, Italy.
2014
-Drawing Exhibition, Mahe Mehr Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-Painting Exhibition, Group Cesare Frigerio, Corsico, Italy.
2013
-“100 works, 100 artists”, Painting Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-“Haft Negah”, Painting Exhibition, Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran.
2012
-Painting Exhibition, Terme Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-“Without borders III / Persbook Art”, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Forum of Iranians Artists, Tehran, Iran.
-“Restriction”, Painting Exhibition, Man Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-“SNAC 2012”, Painting Exhibition, Art People Gallery, San Francisco, USA.
-“Small Works of Art”, Painting Exhibition, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2011
-“100 works, 100 artists”, Painting Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-Drawing Exhibition, Mahe Mehr Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-“Without borders II / Persbook Art”, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Art, Iran.
2010
-“100 works, 100 artists”, Painting Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2009
-Fashion Show, Mahestan Tower, Tehran, Iran.
2008
-“Shadow” Illustration Exhibition, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran.
2007
-Fashion Show, Kamal al-Din Behzad Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
-2th festival of “the Women of My Homeland”, Fashion Show, Tehran, Iran.
2006
-1th festival of “the Women of My Homeland”, Fashion Show, Tehran, Iran.
2003
-“Kharazmi”, Illustration Exhibition, Arasbaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023
“I am the change”, Villa contemporanea, Monza, Italy
2013
-“The tree of the body”, Artwear Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2011
-“Empty dress”, Artwear Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2007
-Fashion Illustration Exhibition, Mehrin gallery, Tehran, Iran.
HONOURS & AWARDS
2022
– Selected artist for 31th edition of Miniart Textile, Italy
2020
– Selected artist for 30th edition of Miniart Textile, Italy
2019
-Candidate for the 2019 fashion film award, SHOW studio, London, United Kingdom.
-Selected artist for Tehran’s forth contemporary artistic jewelry Exhibition,Iran.
2018
-Selected designer for the Static Exhibition, New Talents, The National Chamber for Italian Fashion.
2017
-Selected artist of design competition in Lombardy region, Jewelry, Italy.
2015
– Selected artist of Format Gallery, Sculpture, Milan, Italy.
2012
-Selected artist of Art People Gallery, Painting, United States of America.
-Selected artist of “Mashghe Honar” Publication, Painting, Tehran, Iran.
2011
-Selected artist of the second Persbook, Iranian contemporary art festival, Installation Art, Tehran, Iran.
2009
-One of the 10 best selected artists at crystallized abaya design award of Swarovski, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
2006
-Winner of the third place in the first edition of the festival of “Women of my homeland”, Manteau Design Tehran, Iran.
2003
-Winner of the national science competition, “Kharazmi”, Illustration, Tehran, Iran.