Statement:

D. D. D. D. is pleased to present Ali Kaeini's solo exhibition, Tree Station Street.

Kaeini will be presenting a new group of paintings at our 3B space. The exhibition features an installation of works on canvas which aim to confront distorted histories, using a sincere, childlike tone as a tool for self-reflection.///

Born in Iran in 1987, Kaeini weaves a tapestry of discourse that explores displacement, historical identity, and the Iranian diaspora. Drawing inspiration from Iranian history, art, and architecture Tree Station Street is composed of free-standing and hanging works. This arrangement highlights the delicate nature of the paintings, as they sway gently when approached.

Kaeini’s work evokes symbols of displacement experienced by contemporary Iranians, both physically and mentally. Focusing on materials and their interconnections, he recreates decorative elements like Persian vases and Islamic structures.

Using homemade natural dyes, fabric dyes, cement tape, acrylic, spray-paint, fabric collages, and printmaking; he blends geometric structures with curvilinear forms and calligraphy in a way which reflects the intricate relationship between his identity and culture.

"The visual tension and displacement of ancient relics in my work express my immigration story, a mixture of belonging and non-belonging," Kaeini says. "The works reflect the disillusionment with a forty-year-old revolution, praising the rich cultural past while fearing the gap between it and the present. They mirror today's Iranian protesters, hopeful for a vague future." 

Biography:

Ali Kaeini, is an Iranian artist currently working in Richmond, Virginia. Kaeini has exhibited his work internationally and in the United States.

Recent exhibitions include solo and two-person exhibitions at Delgosha Gallery in Tehran, and 1708 Gallery in Richmond, Virginia, and group exhibitions at Hamiltonian Artists, and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. He was awarded VMFA Fellowship in 2024.

He received his MFA degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2023, and he attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2019.

In 179 Canal St, Ste 3B/4D New York, NY 10013 2023, he earned the Hamiltonian Fellowship. Kaeini will be attending the MacDowell Fellowship later this year. He currently serves as an educator at Virginia Commonwealth University and Old Dominion University.