On the final episode of the season, Where ART Thou? is off to Southern Fairfield County!
Join us as we visit Iranian-American painter Afsaneh Djabbari-Aslani. She was an art student in the U.S. during the Iranian revolution, and her evocative work focuses on the politics and religion of her native country.
I really stopped making any political art when my children were small. But now that they’re older, I feel that it still is important to say what I need to say, for the sake of my children, for the sake of their future. And because I have a voice in this country, and a lot of people don’t.” – Afsaneh Djabbari-Aslani, artist
Iranian-born artist Afsaneh Djabbari-Aslani talks to Ray about why she feels compelled to make political art. / Photos by Julianne Varacchi, Connecticut Public.
Ray checks in with Beechwood Arts and Innovation, a center known for its arts programs, workshops, and signature salons.
What we really wanted to do is we wanted to bring all the arts together, and we wanted to bring generations together, and we wanted it to feel like there was no distinction between the performers, and the artists, and the audience.” – Jeanine Esposito, artist and co-founder of Beechwood Arts and Innovation
Ray sits down with Jeanine Esposito and Frederic Chiu, founders of Beechwood Arts and Innovation.
Then Ray visits the studio of artist Jahmane. His multi-media works combine social awareness and spirituality, and hearken back to his graffiti roots.
You know what, I think, especially now with what’s going on, you see a lot more people becoming artists. or just doing art-based stuff. Even if you’re not becoming a fully fledged artist, you know, you’re gonna go to a paint-and-sip, you’re gonna go somewhere just to do something creative, just to break this whole cycle of just worry, and anxiety, and what’s going on in the world.” – Jahmane, multi-media artist
Jahmane explains his creative process and how he incorporates different mediums into his art.
One of the things that intrigued me most about the art world was the whole notion of learning about my culture, my history, through the canvas of artists.” – Episode curator Valerie Cooper
A painting in progress at Afsaneh Djabbari-Aslani’s studio.
Find Featured Artists online:
Episode Curator: VALERIE COOPER , corporate art consultant, fine art appraiser, and founding owner of Picture That Consultants
Website | Facebook (business) | Facebook (personal)
JAHMANE, mixed-media artist
Website | Instagram | Facebook
AFSANEH DJABBARI-ASLANI , artist
Website | Instagram | Facebook
BEECHWOOD ARTS AND INNOVATION
Website | Instagram | Facebook
New episodes of Where ART Thou? premiere Sundays, September 20-October 25, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. on CPTV. Episodes encore on CPTV the following Mondays at 11:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., and on CPTV Spirit the following Fridays at 8 p.m.
Each episode will be available for on-demand viewing concurrent with its television premiere. Episodes will be available on content.ctpublic.org, as well as at video.cptv.org; on YouTube; and on the free Connecticut Public mobile app. (Visit Google Play or the Apple App Store to download the app.)
