At first glance, my paintings read as purely abstract gestural works. But beneath the surface lies a deeply personal and autobiographical narrative, one shaped by exile and dispossession and the insights acquired from rebuilding my life while in different lands and cultures. Questioning first appearances, looking out for a multiplicity of perspectives, seeking the unseen, these are themes underpinning and informing my body of work.
My process is based on movement and perspective. I lay the canvas flat on the floor, circle around it and paint it from many angles. This choreography allows me to enter a state of deep awareness. It sharpens my sensitivity to what lies beyond the traditional framed view and allows me to create a work with subtle layers that reveal themselves through texture and transparency. The works are deliberately understated, and often in muted tones, requiring close attention to reveal their complex layering.
Whether through my paintings or more recent explorations in photography, my work aims to foster a deeper engagement with the simple yet essential act of looking. I aspire to encourage viewers to observe more actively, question what lies beneath and become more mindful of our surroundings and those different from us.
Azadeh Ghotbi is a London-based Iranian-American painter and photographer. Her work has been exhibited in Europe (Basel, London, Frankfurt, Paris), the Middle East (Amman, Cairo, Dubai) and the United States (Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC).