Parvaneh Hosseini

My textile artworks are deeply rooted in Persian stories, poetry, songs, and the influential people and events that have shaped me throughout my life. I reconnect with my heritage by revisiting memories from my childhood—memories that have resurfaced over the years, through experiences of revolution, war, political movements, suppression, immigration, and exile.

This act of remembering is not only visual but also tactile. The very process of stitching and working with textiles becomes a form of healing, remembrance, and cultural resistance. I grew up beside my mother, who sewed dresses for women and children in our community. The vibrant piles of fabric, with their endless colors and patterns, sparked my imagination in unique and lasting ways. I was captivated by her ability to cut and shape cloth into something entirely new—giving form to something that once only existed in her mind.

Alongside my artistic practice, I am a university professor and hold a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies. My academic work focuses on the cultural histories, gender dynamics, and political movements of the Middle East, particularly Iran. These two paths—academic and artistic—inform and enrich each other. In both, I engage with memory, identity, and the power of storytelling. Through my art, I remain connected to my childhood, my homeland, my literary heritage, and to maman—who, though far away, still inspires me to remember, to imagine, and to stitch new forms into being.