When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I grew up with art. My mother and her grandmother were great tailors and I used to watch the intricate processes of how a dress was made. Later, after several courses, I started making my own clothes and following from that I started with embroidery. This had a sense of painting since we try to form the colourful shapes with an embroidery wheel. During childhood I really loved watching my cousins as they copied from beautiful portraits. Then experimentation with colour had me attending make-up classes. But the first spark of my becoming an artist came when I was 16 – I created a sunset scene and I was granted a prize in high school.
What message are you trying to convey to the world through your art?
Message of and from art are always transferred implicitly. Works of art are derived from inner states and I have always been influenced by the working of the world around me. I feel the pain of the people in my country Iran quite profoundly, for example, and I hope my artworks reflect that.
Works of art are derived from inner states and I have always been influenced by the working of the world around me
Can you tell us about some of your exhibitions and artistic wins?
I have participated in many international group exhibitions all over the world some of the most important were:
- Latest exhibition in November 2021 “Dubai Art EXPO” at Meydan Hotel Dubai which led to sale of my artwork.
- 2019 “Premio LYNX PRIZE”, in Italy and Slovenia.
- 2018 “creative works of Women artists”, IL – United States of America
I have received art reviews from Italian art magazines ‘Juliet’, published artworks in a French contemporary e-magazine ‘Circle Foundation for the Arts’, and in ‘Inside Artists’ in London, UK.
There are others, but these stand out the most, I suppose.
Which artists have inspired you and why?
The journey of my artistic life has had myriad influences. I was inspired by bold people, not a specific artist. In general, all parts of existence are influenced by each other and this informs my creativity.
What does the future hold for Shirin Moayya?
In my opinion, art and life are intertwined. If I can be a fruitful person, then I believe the best will happen for everyone around me. One can’t ask for more from the future than that.