Artist Statement:
Through the removal of a portion of this stone, its internal textures and surfaces are revealed and its layered stories are made visible. This simple transformation also bridges the stone to its surroundings— allowing air, atmosphere, light, and invisible particles to pass through its body. In so doing, the stone intermixes and imparts some of its ancient essence with its environment, fusing in a microscopic, yet meaningful way.
About the Artist:
Informed by a strong sense of place and his multi-cultural identity (Iranian/Norwegian raised in Laupāhoehoe), Kamran Samimi’s artistic practice centers on natural and indigenous ephemera —stones, wood, pigment, and land—as conduits to explore the intricate dynamics, tensions, and histories that exist between human and non-human ancestors. Through this framework, Samimi questions how interconnected histories and diverse cultures examined via the lens of nature might engender moments of equilibrium, compassion and healing in a world marked by oppression, injustice, and widespread devastation. Specifically, Samimi draws inspiration from the direct, experiential focus on Nature also found in Zen Buddhism and Sufi Mysticism. Hence, his approach is both reverent and whimsical, mirroring Nature’s gestures: deconstructing and reforming with intention and compassion.
