My project explores what the concept of belonging means to me, and how my personal definition of home has changed. It thus explores how multiple places, with their own specific identities, can develop into a personal space that bridges the gap in-between. The geographical displacement between, for instance, Zurich and Isfahan stands in contrast to their presence in memory, creating a mixed, hybrid identity. Though it’s impossible to be in two places at once, memories of somewhere else can produce a counterpoint to the physical space in which one finds one’s self. This raises several questions about how memory functions, and how memories will be preserved.
My interest in this topic stems from the sense of loss or belonging that I felt when I moved to Zurich from Isfahan two years ago. My work seeks to respond to that experience through artistic means and asks: How do I create a sense of belonging in different situations? How do I create personal spaces?
I work with elements from my current surroundings and with a retrospective look at my former surroundings to examine how they combine and how they influence and comment on one another. Some of these elements include sounds connected to the most important moments in my life, others deal with displacements, intertwining distance and closeness in the experience of a migrant. The theoretical works of Yi-Fu Tuan, Denys Johnson-Davies, and Edward Relph have helped me to understand and reflect on concepts like space and place, the meaning of home, the sense of belonging, and the life in-between.
