This talk is part of the public educational programming for our exhibition, Forces of Change and Memory.
During this event, artist Helia Chitsazan and curator Nina Chkareuli-Mdivani will dive into the artist’s approach to her new body of work, exploring themes of continuity and change, the nuances of her immigrant story, and the power of a woman’s stare.
The event will include a special tea reception, graciously sponsored by Teasthetic.
Artist
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). Chitsazan’s first solo show at Fou Gallery (2023) signifies the debut of her artistic career.
Curator
Nina Chkareuli-Mdivani (she/her) is a Georgian-born and New York-based curator, writer, and researcher. She holds undergraduate degrees in International Relations and Gender Studies from Tbilisi State University and Mount Holyoke College, and a graduate degree in Museum Studies from the City University of New York. Chkareuli-Mdivani has contributed reviews, essays, and interviews to e-flux, Hyperallergic, Flash Art International, Artforum, MoMa.post, The Brooklyn Rail, The Arts Newspaper, Whitehot Magazine, Berlin Art Link, and among others. Her first book King is Female was published by Wienand Verlag (Berlin) in 2018. Her research involves the intersection of art history, museum, and decolonization studies focusing on totalitarian art and trauma theory. She has curated over ten exhibitions in New York, Germany, Latvia, and Georgia.