From the artist:

In “A Space in Between,” my aim is to provide an artistic exploration of the unique immigrant experience, one that often finds itself standing at the threshold of two remarkably distinct worlds. Through my work, I seek to delve into the delicate equilibrium of class, gender, and ethnicity within the context of the diasporic realm.

An example of this nuanced balance can be seen in pieces like “Tiles in Menthol.” Here, I aim to portray the intricate challenges and subtleties of growing up in Bessemer, Alabama, particularly the role my family played as a “middleman minority” – a role often filled by immigrants, evident in businesses such as convenience stores and beauty shops. To reconcile with this pivotal transition in my life, I have ingeniously transformed glossy cigarette cartons from my family’s store into ornamental and transitional elements reminiscent of Iranian architecture, such as ceramic tiles.

As an example of a nuanced gender dynamics as an immigrant, my series “Wall as a Veil” reflects the resilience of women in reclaiming public spaces. Witnessing their struggle from afar in the diaspora, I utilize concrete, plaster, and hair as metaphors These three dimensional wall pieces are made to hint at everyday building facades such as brick walls and even traditional decorative elements. In contrast, I am using hair as a metaphor for the female body pushing her way through this rigid material to reclaim the public space and therefore the public sphere. 

With this exhibition, my fervent hope is to engage and inspire the diverse community in Easthampton, offering a perspective on transition, transformation, and reclamation that is both unique and thought-provoking.

Bio: Cima Khademi is a visual artist with an MFA in Studio Arts from UMass Amherst and a BFA from University of Alabama in Birmingham. Khademi’s current work focuses on the unique experience of “identity” as an immigrant. The particular state where identity and homeland are called into question and we find ourselves simultaneously standing on the threshold of two worlds. Her experience of identity comes from two countries that are radically different. Her creative practice is an exploration of balance in a diasporic space regarding class, gender, and ethnicity through materials and metaphors.