Talks
The Story of my World: De-VIA and the Art of Maryam Hafizirad

Date

Tuesday, Feb 4, 2025 12:00

Admission

Talks - Public: Free Talks - Member: Free

Audience

Adults

Date

Tuesday, Feb 4, 2025 12:00

Admission

Talks - Public: Free Talks - Member: Free

Audience

Adults

Zoom program. RSVP Required.

Explore the art of Deaf Canadian contemporary artist Maryam Hafizirad, whose work fuses her Persian and Deaf identities through Deaf View Image Art (De’VIA). This digital conversation, led by curator Fahmida Suleman, will explore both Hafizirad’s personal story and practice, and the history of De’VIA as an art form.

This Zoom program will feature a 20-minute conversation with the speakers, followed by a live audience Q&A. Questions may be sent in advance to programs@rom.on.ca.

Please indicate the "Conversations February 4, 2025, Q&A" in the subject line.

All registrants will be emailed a link to access the program 24 to 48 hours in advance.

More ROM Talks

Speaker

Maryam Hafizirad

Maryam Hafizirad is a Deaf Canadian Persian painter and sculptor. She is also Deaf Curator, DEAF CULTURE CENTRE and on faculty, Deaf Arts Academy, Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf. Graduate of Isfahan University of Fine Arts (2002) with her first exhibition at age 18 in Iran, her award-winning solo and group exhibitions have been featured in Iran, China, Germany, Malaysia, India & Canada. Maryam’s Persian classical early works were dark in subject and colour. When she moved to Malaysia and settled in Canada, her work transformed. She began painting bright Persian and Deaf View Image Art (De’VIA) metaphors with acrylic, crushed coloured glass and watercolour - using symbols of her Persian and Deaf identity - pomegranates (symbols of hidden love released) fish in water (sincere human beings in her silent world of pure beauty) and birds (embodying freedom). The third phase of her work fuses these symbols in large mixed media installation experiences with ceramic, colourful, glazed sculptures, handshapes and large eyes affirming her Deaf identity, graceful language, quiet strength and life itself. Studio artist, art curator and art teacher, Maryam is recipient of numerous arts awards in Iran and Canada and recipient of numerous arts grants for her professional artistry in both painting and sculpture.

Deaf View Image Art (De'VIA) is created when artists explore Deaf experience on a personal, cultural or physical level using formal art elements. De'VIA elements include:

Intense and contrasting colours

Contrasting textures

Emphasis on eyes, mouths, ears and hands

Motifs, metaphors, insights, values and perspectives based on Deaf experience.

Deaf artists have been creating De'VIA throughout history but De’VIA was first recognized as a formal art genre in the De’VIA Manifesto (1989). De’VIA has come to mean the artistic expression of the Deaf experience and can apply to artistic disciplines other than visual arts.

Maryam Hafizirad