ZIRAKZADEH, TWILA

Statement
I have always equated the arts as a form of social activism; whether the expression is visual, musical, or interpretive,   art has always been used to document who we are as a species, and attempted to use it to understand what it means to be human.  The use of art as a form of social justice goes back to antiquity, and the way that life is portrayed has evolved through the years, from cave etchings to digital media. I feel that photography has allowed us to document the rapid changes of today’s world, and have used it as a means of artistic expression in myself.  In my lifetime I have seen this medium go from simple black and white photos tothe use of digital media.  While this has allowed more people to able to record important history, it has also allowed the soul and artistic expression to be taken out of the media (selfies, anyone?).  Two years ago I decided to try teaching myself  the art of colorization in photography.  I started with old photos from the family, and have begun using my own newer photographs for my work.  It has been a challenging process, and I am hoping that who I am will show through in my work.  I will continue to show work highlighting societal and life changes, and am excited to have the opportunity to work with Artnuats.

Biography
I was born in 1957 to an Air Force chaplain and an artist mother.  I grew up mostly overseas, where my parents exposed myself and my brothers to as much art as they could; one of my most vivid childhood memories is going to St. Peter’s and seeing the “Pieta”.  My parents encouraged artistic expression in all forms with my brothers and I; 2 of my brothers went on to become working artists, one in Washington, D.C.  I pursued the musical arts rather than the visual throughout my life, but I married an artist and brought up my children to appreciate and practice the visual arts.    I have also been a social activist for my entire life, and my name is on the Civil Rights memorial in Montgomery Alabama for my work in the areas of social and human rights.  My teen years were spent in the South, in the late 60’s and early 70’s, where I experienced firsthand the effects of social injustice, and I have worked on civil rights campaigns in many forms, most recently in the area of rights for people with different sexual orientations. I have been an avid photographer for many years as well, and manipulated my photography in the darkroom and through the camera settings.  I have been searching for a way to express myself through my photos since the adventof digital technology; 2 years ago I decided to try painting on matte sepia photographs (which my mother did).   I am hoping to express my emotions through the use of color and space through this process, and to bring a little of the “old school style” back to my
photos.  I am excited for the opportunity to show my work with the Artnauts in 2015.