Statement:

In this exhibition, the presence of the tree, spanning the length and breadth of life, serves as the central theme, layered with pieces of old fabric—remnants of two consecutive generations’ professional lives, each carrying its own story.///

These works, on one hand, narrate the creator’s sensory experiences along her personal life journey, and on the other, continue her unique, playful, and inventive approach to expressing her inner world, an approach previously manifested in her fashion designs.

Her works also reflect her effort to uncover deeper meanings and depict Iranian cultural values, which, in her view, have remained hidden from the world due to social and political reasons.

From childhood, Shadi Parand developed a deep, direct connection with certain elements shared across Persian miniatures, carpets, nature, and the visual and literary imagery found in the poetry of Hafez, Saadi, Ferdowsi, and Rumi, including the motif of the tree.

This connection was nurtured by her father, who had a great passion for Iranian paintings, carpets, and artifacts, which he collected, and who often took her on journeys into nature, sharing and reading from Iranian classical literature.

Traces of this influence can be seen in Shadi’s personal designs and in the garments, she created through a process that went beyond conventional fashion design, evident across her three decades of professional work.

Her mother’s career as a highly skilled and renowned couturier also provided Shadi, from a young age, with the opportunity to spend time in her mother’s workshop, playing with fabrics, spools of thread, and colors.

This experience allowed her not only to learn sewing skills but also to explore diverse ways of expressing her creative vision.

In Shadi Parand’s latest works, currently on display, the rich, layered compositions, featuring diverse textures and pieces of fabric, evoke a sense of tactile storytelling.

As a multidisciplinary artist, Shadi views her art as a journey of liberation and exploration. Guided by a need for self-expression and simplicity, she embraces materials that are both tangible and easily accessible to her—an approach that reflects her commitment to sustainable design as well as her respect for nature.

Shadi Parand received training in fashion design at prestigious institutions such as the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Parsons School of Design in New York.

Additionally, her exposure to creative environments and interactions with renowned designers and artists significantly contributed to the development of her unconventional approach to art.

Notable international highlights of Shadi Parand’s career include the exhibition of her fashion-related designs at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art event in London in 2009, and her participation in the prominent “Iranian Day” event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2004.