Elham Fatapour
homemade satellite dishes (2020)
Soil from 'Soil, Sand, Salt'
Video art performance
CopyRight Elham Fatapour 2020
Brick wall, 2020, Varley Gallery Toronto, Canada, Mixed Media installation using a satellite dish.
Alt text: A satellite dish with brick pattern installed on a brick wall
Brick wall, 2020, Varley Gallery Toronto, Canada, Mixed Media installation using a satellite dish.
Alt text: A satellite dish with brick pattern installed on a brick wall
Sky and Land, 2020, the Gales Gallery, York University, Toronto, Canada, Mixed Media installation using a satellite dish.
Alt text: A floating blue balloon attached to a clay covered satellite dish and blue line drawing on the floor
My art practice involves painting, performance and mixed media installation. I use imagery, colour and technique to charge my artwork with empathy to engage with viewers on a deeper level. My art works address diverse but interconnected subjects, including satellite usage, surveillance, vernacular architecture and the connection between private and public sphere.
‘homemade satellite dishes’ is an ongoing series of mixed media installation using recycled satellite dishes. Around the world, satellite dishes are one of the primary communication devices used to access mass media and as a result, have become part of urban design. These devices also play a dominant role in the infrastructure for surveillance and security systems.
I collect local satellite dishes and give them another life by painting on them and camouflaging them in their private or public sphere. Camouflage goes beyond simply mimicry but is a symbol of communication, connection and the pursuit of truth.
Elham Fatapour
Elham Fatapour, born in Tehran, is a Toronto-based artist who received her MFA at York University in Visual Art. She studied economics for her undergraduate degree but her interest in political and social science in combination with storytelling propelled her into the field of visual art. Her recent works include painting, performance, and mixed media installation.
Incorporating the concept of visual autobiographical artwork and storytelling, her art practice and exploration delve into the connections between embodied knowledge, cultural pedagogy and visual autobiography.
https://www.elhamfatapour.com/
Instagram: @elhamfatapour