The Conference of the Birds and Other Works by Marjane Saidi
Art & Photography
The Conference of the Birds and Other Works
by Marjane Saidi
“My paintings are an ongoing reflection on my personal journey of leaving my homeland. They represent fragments of memories of the Persian heritage I try to keep alive in the rhythm of my thoughts.”
The Conference of the Birds and Other Works
by Marjane Saidi
Artist statement
Since I remember, I have always loved to paint and my heart was always set on art. Although I assisted some art classes, life kept me away from this passion and for years I put away the desire to paint. I graduated in Economics and Finance and started working in financial institutions. I wrote and published articles in specialized journals and I satisfied my desire for painting by visiting museums and art galleries until recently when I decided to become a “former economist reoriented to painter”!
Originally from Iran, my paintings are an ongoing reflection on my personal journey of leaving my homeland. They represent fragments of memories of the Persian heritage I try to keep alive in the rhythm of my thoughts. To relive all those nostalgic feelings, I use elements of traditional architecture, decorative motifs, used by miniaturists or calligraphers, and colors of earthenware, ceramics and particularly Persian carpets by projecting them to the front of the stage. All decorative elements and patterns that I use are an integral part of nature and it is this game of confusion that I like to highlight through open windows here and there on the painting.
Some of my paintings are unfinished rugs that blend into nature. Thus, the carpet becomes a garden and the garden a carpet. The dove, the horse and the goldfish have a special place. Symbols of peace, freedom, strength and life, they add to the soul and the essence of my paintings. Sometimes the Persian poetry leaves its mark on the canvas, giving to the work another dynamism. Females figures have always been one of the key elements in many of my paintings. They are somehow the storytellers on my canvas who open their hearts to show the viewers their intimate confidence, their memories and hopes. What makes them singular is their long black hair in the wind with which they affirm their identity, their femininity, their strength and power, representing an ode to freedom.
My main work is in acrylics, but I also work in digital art, exclusively finger painting, and watercolor.
I want my paintings to show a memory and to be a refreshing break to the viewers bringing them a positive outlook and a sense of peace and serenity.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Originally from Iran, Marjane was a teenager when she left her native country a few years after the 1979 Revolution. She has spent most of her life outside her country of origin, first in Paris where she did her higher education in economics and finance, then in Montreal where she has lived for more than twenty years. Her sources of inspiration come from her vacation trips to Iran where she recharges her batteries with the lights, colors and scents of the country.
Before devoting herself to painting, Marjane has worked as a freelance writer in the field of economics, then as a financial consultant. She rubbed shoulders with painting out of sensitivity for years until she replaced her profession out of passion in 2015 when she decided to devote herself to it assiduously. Marjane presents herself as a self-taught emerging painter, since she has not had an academic background in art. However, she believes that where training is lacking, passion takes over.
Marjane paints in acrylics and watercolor. She has also developed her style in digital art. Learn more at marjanesaidiart.com. Follow her on Instagram @marjane.saidi.
ARTIST PHOTO and ARTWORK all courtesy of the artist.
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