Sonia Balassanian's practice explores themes of memory, identity, and displacement. Her work encompasses a wide range of mediums, including painting, printmaking, installation, and video. Balassanian's artistic vocabulary is characterized by her abstract lyricism style, her use of shades of blues inspired by the Iranian sky, scribbles on canvas linking to her poetry writings, and layered collage. Her works often incorporate fragments of personal and collective memories interwoven with historical and cultural references. One of Balassanian's most prominent themes is the Iranian revolution, a subject that she addresses through her unique artistic lens to shed light on its ongoing impact on the Iranian people, their diaspora as well as her own story – this is seen more specifically and powerfully in her series Hostages. She has exhibited her work extensively and internationally and is included in numerous collections.
Join Frieze 91 for a studio visit on Saturday 20th May at 12pm in Tribeca, New York. RSVP essential.