The Work

My work in the series Distances Near Away, Journeys In-Between, and Domain of Differences explores the transitory instances of time when one’s awareness is threaded between the present and a similar moment remembered from the past. At times, these threaded moments have harsh juxtapositions due to differences from the change of context, the passage of time, or a change of place. Other times, they blend and fuse to create a sense of continuity. Often, my work is a reflection on the poetics of migration and the stories of exile.

As a Persian-American artist, my work is informed by idealized landscapes and intricate designs of early Persian art. Persian miniature paintings are adorned with intricate depictions of flowers, plants, and tightly woven patterns of imaginary gardens. In Persian poetry, a flower often symbolizes a fleeting moment—a poetic remembrance of life's transience and fragility. In my work, a flower becomes a visual metaphor for a sense of connection with a remembered past. I often include poems in my work. These poems become an accompanying voice within the work. Sometimes the poems echo a sense of hope or longing; other times, they evoke a sense of disorientation or doubt, as might be felt by an immigrant or an exile, on a life’s journey of being in-between.

The work in the series At a Distance investigates the evocative power of the ocean, exploring how its rhythmic waves and immense expanse can induce states of awe, joy, and contemplation. The work examines the liminal space we occupy between the day-to-day rhythms of our lives and the vast unknown that stretches before us.

The Artist

Saba is part of the present day Persian diaspora. Her work engages with the ephemeral nature of time and memory. In her work she explores transitory moments where past and present converge, creating a liminal space of in-betweenness. Having lived in diverse cultural contexts across Asia, Europe, and the United States, Saba has experienced navigating the complexities of cultural hybridity and the negotiation of multiple languages and traditions. Her work is influenced by Persian art and literature, which she reinterprets through the lens of a modern, multicultural society. Saba studied art and design at the California Institute of the Arts and the University of Oregon, where she earned her MFA. Her work has been exhibited in the United States and in Europe, contributing to a broader discourse on diasporic identity and cultural memory.