Helia Chitsazan

b. 1995, Tehran, Iran

Having earned her BFA in Painting from the Art University of Tehran in 2018, Helia Chitsazan relocated to New York City and obtained an MFA in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in 2023. Chitsazan's artwork has been showcased in various painting festivals in Iran and she participated in group shows at New Collectors Gallery (New York, 2021), Thierry Goldberg Gallery (New York, 2023), Pablo’s Birthday Gallery (New York, 2023), and LAbeast gallery (Los Angeles, 2023). She was awarded the 1st painting grant from Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation (Montreal, Canada). After Midnight - Chitsazan’s show at Fou Gallery (2023) signifies the debut of her artistic career, marking her inaugural solo exhibition.

Chitsazan employs her creative prowess to capture the intricate themes of memories, identity, absence, and ephemerality in her artwork. Her compositions evoke significant moments spent with loved ones in Tehran, Iran, which are now beyond reach. Chitsazan harnesses the power of her imagination to recreate those cherished moments of affection and intimacy, often rendering indoor spaces that offer a nostalgic sense of home. These spaces are where the secret double lives of Iranians occur—drinking, dancing, smoking, and holding hands—despite these activities being illegal in public. These moments are profoundly honest, emotional, and sincere demonstrations of her community. Chitsazan's oeuvre is an authentic and emotional expression of her personal memory and identity as an Iranian woman, conveying the inaccessible intimate emotions of the past. Her works offer an unvarnished and poignant representation of the deeply ingrained traditions and values of the Iranian community.


Selected Works

Helia Chitsazan, Outside in, Inside out, 2024. Oil, oil sticks and oil pastel  on canvas, 48 x 60 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery

Helia Chitsazan, Halfway In and Out, 2024. Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery

Helia Chitsazan, Az-An, 2024. Oil, Oil stick and oil pastel on canvas, 40 x 30 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery

Helia Chitsazan, There is Nothing There, 2024. Oil and Oil pastel on linen, 25 x 21 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery

Helia Chitsazan, Fully Settled in, 2024. Oil, Oil stick and oil pastel on canvas, 48 x 36 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery

Helia Chitsazan, The Sounds from the Second Floor, 2024. Oil, Oil stick and oil pastel on canvas, 68 x 44 inches ©Helia Chitsazan, courtesy of Fou Gallery


Exhibitions

Helia Chitsazan: Forces of Change and Memory

October 12–December 22, 2024

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Helia Chitsazan: After Midnight…

May 6th–July 16th, 2023

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Naomi Okubo