Feb 5

Feb 5 DESIRE MOHEB ZANDI

Since a young age Desire Moheb Zandi has always been fascinated by textures and craftsmanship. After experimenting with various materials, she decided to focus on textile. Her curiosity started as a kid when she would see her grandmother weaving for hours at their home in Turkey.

This form of art allows her to play with textures and shapes as well as communicating a strong feminist message. While having in her mind this image of a housewife weaving, she was interested in bringing a conceptual aspect to this discipline. By weaving with unorthodox materials and techniques, Desire breaks the traditional role of women in society. Using textile art as a symbolic image allows her to examine the role of women in history and dive into matters such as gender and domesticity.

To draw and express this antagonism in her work, Desire enjoys mixing noble fabrics such as wool with industrial materials like rubber and plastic. It is a way for her to break from traditional textile art techniques and provoke a wide range of emotions to the viewer. She gets her inspiration by searching for new touch in hardware shops or random places in New York where she collects recycled materials. Desire has also cultivated a sense of conflicts by growing up in a such cosmopolitan and complex city as Istanbul. I wanted to share a few of her avant-garde pieces that keeps the feminist fight going and will end few prejudices about weaving and textile arts in the traditional sense.

Desire some career highlights for you so far?

I am currently working with my talented French artist friend Ugo Schildge, and we are creating one of a kind works of art and design together. Our first piece is currently exhibited at Max Mara in New York. I recently had a show at Students Art League, thanks to my mentor Ronnie Landfield.

Your greatest inspirations or influences?

Louise Bourgeois, Guerilla Girls, Yayoi Kusama,
Ana Mendieta, Eva Hesse, Tracy Emin, Cindy Sherman,
Sarah Lucas... so many!

Tell us about this experience and how you got involved with the Untitled Space to create these art works for the Fund for Women's Equality.

I am proud to be part of the UPRISE/ANGRY WOMEN female group show featuring the work of 80 female contemporary artists responding to the current social and political climate in America in light of the recent presidential election. Right now it is an important time for women to demonstrate solidarity in face of the threats upon us, in regards to women’s rights, thanks to wonderful gallerist Indira Cesarine for bringing us together!

Did you march in New York and if so how was the experience, what was the mood and energy like?

Yes I did march in New York! I marched for all the mothers, grandmothers who fought this battle all their life, I marched for fundamental human female rights everywhere, for gender equality, for LGBT community, for our planet and the list goes on. It was wonderful to march with all these women from so many different backgrounds, and it was so empowering! It made my heart race, we need activists, and feminists more than ever!