COURTESY PHOTO
Kamran Samimi
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A new exhibition at the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design is open for free public viewing online.
“Sanctuaries,” which features the mixed-media work of Hawaii-born artist Kamran Samimi, is the result of his extended residency at the museum.
The artworks range from striking angular sculptures crafted out of wood, metal, plastic and stone (some of which was sourced from the museum’s grounds) to oil-stick paintings that evoke stories tied to the museum’s physical foundation.
“I’ve had the opportunity to explore facets of myself, my identity as someone of Persian ancestry, that I’ve thought about and considered in my whole life but haven’t directly made artwork about,” Samimi, who is of Iranian and Norwegian ancestry, said in December. “Working at Shangri La has encouraged me in a very natural and intuitive way to think a lot about that part of my identity, the spiritual center that I have, and where it comes from.”
Raised in rural Laupahoehoe on the Big Island, Samimi has had his work exhibited at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Tokyo Midtown in Japan and many venues in Hawaii. An exhibition of his earlier work, “In Stillness,” is on display through Aug. 15 at the Honolulu Museum of Art.
Shangri La, which is currently closed to the public, plans to offer limited in-person visits this summer. To view Samimi’s show, go to shangrilahawaii.org Opens in a new tab.
