Mana + VIVO Residency

VIVO Artist Residency – Series of Immersive audio-visual installations

My artwork is an exploration of wellness and mindfulness practices, focusing on the profound impact of mindful listening and observation through art. In a world full of distractions and anxieties, these practices have become increasingly challenging, yet they hold the key to inner peace, presence, and self-development. Aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, I endeavor to promote mental health and well-being through my artwork. Through immersive audio-visual installations, I invite viewers to engage in an experience that promotes mindfulness and presence in the moment.

As an Iranian-Canadian woman who has endured the hardships of gender inequality and injustice in Iran for two decades, I intimately understand the struggles of anxiety and depression. The recent global pandemic, financial issues, and ongoing protests in Iran have intensified these challenges. However, I have personally found presence and mindfulness through my interactions with art, and it has played a pivotal role in alleviating my anxiety.

Inspired by my own battles with anxiety and fueled by the alarming prevalence of anxiety and depression in the world, I embarked on a mission to explore the intersection of art and well-being. We are living in an unprecedented era, dealing with post-pandemic issues, financial struggles, war, injustice, discrimination, and many other difficulties worldwide that can cause anxiety or depression. “In 2020, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by an estimated 25 percent, with young people and women being most affected” (United Nations). Today, prioritizing mental health should be taken seriously as global development depends on it. The World Health Organization acknowledges that “There can be no health or sustainable development without mental health.”

Within ten immersive installations of this artwork, the audience will encounter a symphony of colors, animated visuals, sounds, music, and lights. They can embark on a personal journey of self-discovery, presence, and self-development by immersing themselves in the installations and practicing mindful listening and observation. It is my belief that through the power of art, we can grow together and practice well-being.