Arghavan Khosravi
In the sharp-edged dreamworld of Khosravi’s paintings, women inhabit symbolically dense, spatially tricky scenes. Using trompe-l’oeil, shaped canvases, and found textiles, the Iranian painter—who arrived in the U.S. in 2015 and now cannot return, thanks to Trump’s travel ban—forges a melancholic lexicon to reflect on both women’s status in her native country and her own feelings of dislocation. Fragments of classical statuary and bright-red cords (with their dual implications of metaphysical and umbilical binding) embellish her exquisitely painted works, which are inspired by Persian miniatures; they’re also laced with such contemporary details as sweatpants, bubble gum, and an Apple watch. “Architecture of a Moment,” from 2018-19, depicts a palace under siege; a large woman, with her eyes closed and a turtleneck pulled over her mouth, emerges from the structure’s center. Her arms are up in an evocative, ambiguous pose, equal parts physical surrender and spiritual ascension.
https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/art/arghavan-khosravi