Studio 88 Artist Residency is proud to welcome Reyhaneh Afzalian as our first-ever Iranian artist-in-residence, joining us for the June 2025 program. A multidisciplinary visual artist based in Tehran, Reyhaneh brings a thoughtful and evolving practice that bridges drawing, painting, sculpture, and land art. During her time at Studio 88, Reyhaneh will explore the intersection of landscape and identity through sculptural forms and temporary interventions, deepening her investigation into material, nature, and cultural resonance.
Reyhaneh’s journey into the arts began after earning her B.S. in Computer Science in 2012. She later pursued her passion for the visual arts and graduated with a degree in Painting from the Faculty of Art and Architecture in 2017. Her professional artistic career took off in 2014, when she began responding to open calls and developing a body of work that reflects both inner inquiry and external observation.
Drawing remains a foundational tool in Reyhaneh’s process—serving as a conceptual framework that informs her larger pieces. Her artistic language spans painting, printmaking, installation, and site-specific land art, often exploring space, texture, and memory through both subtle and tactile expressions.
In addition to participating in numerous group exhibitions, she has presented a solo exhibition and received recognition for her work in both local and international contexts. Highlights include an honorable award for her project on industrial heritage at the Deyhim Factory in Ghiam Dasht (2021), and accolades from the Behance Reviews (2017) in Tehran and the Art Addiction Online Gallery (2015) in London.
Reyhaneh Afzalian’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in the physicality of touch and transformation. Her works often emerge from an intimate dialogue with raw materials—earth, minerals, and natural elements—which she shapes through a process that mirrors the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Each piece evolves organically, giving rise to new forms from within itself, suggesting a continuous unfolding of memory, presence, and becoming.
For Reyhaneh, the act of making is a tactile inquiry into existence. Her sculptures and installations are not static objects but living gestures—expressions of an unbroken chain that connects the personal to the universal, the material to the spiritual. Through this process, she invites viewers to engage with the elemental textures of the world and reflect on the cyclical nature of human and ecological experience.
Her work becomes a kind of ritual—a poetic offering to the land and all that dwells within it—anchored in sensation, shaped by time, and animated by care.
During her time at Studio 88, Reyhaneh Afzalian will create a new body of work that draws directly from the natural environment of Northern Thailand. Her project centers on a series of mixed media installations made from local plants, soil, and seeds—materials that reflect her ongoing exploration of nature, ecology, and sustainability.
Rooted in a deep respect for the land and its regenerative cycles, Reyhaneh’s work will examine the interconnection between humans and ecosystems. By incorporating organic elements into her art, she invites audiences to engage with the materiality of nature while reflecting on their own role within it. Seeds embedded within her artworks offer an interactive element—viewers may choose to plant them or preserve them—underscoring the idea that the future of our planet lies in our collective hands.
Through collaboration with local artists and environmental advocates, Reyhaneh hopes to enrich her perspective while contributing to conversations around sustainability, resilience, and creative responsibility. She intends to continue the life of this project beyond the residency, sharing it through exhibitions and social media to reach broader audiences and inspire environmentally conscious artistic practices. Her work aspires to leave a lasting impression—one that cultivates awareness, connection, and action.
Reyhaneh Afzalian currently lives and works in Tehran. Read more about Reyhaneh Afzalian on her website http://reyhanehafzaliannaini.com/
Studio 88 is accepting applications on an on-going basis. Check out our residency program and apply now.
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