STUDIO
SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE
a celebration of the Iranian spirit
Currently exhibiting at Ghost Gallery in Seattle, Washington
Making Fereshteh—Angel 2026
Everyday, I have the same chore- vacuuming my dog Bernie's fur from my antique Kashan Persian carpet. One day, I remember feeling particularly annoyed by this task when it hit me. This chore was actually a privilege. If I were in Iran, having me dog in my home would be prohibited by law.
From this realization, I decided to make an artwork from carpet and dog fur. Weeks later I learned of the passing of Alireza Karami, a young Iranian man who was killed in the protests on January 8th, 2026. He left behind a final wish.
“If I die before my dog, let her see my lifeless body. She understands death. If she senses my death, she can cry for me and mourn. But if she does not see my body, she will think I abandoned her and will keep waiting for me to return. If I die before my dog, let her say goodbye to me. A dog is friendship without limits and unconditional loyalty - a part of life and a reason to live.”
This final act of devotion, making sure his dog Ariel could mourn him and have closure, absolutely floored me. I chose to memorialize his final wish in this work. Fereshteh is the Persian word for angel- that is what dogs are on this earth and following the brutal events of January in Iran, what Alireza is now. His words have been fused into the carpet, the centerpiece of the Persian home written with dog fur, the centerpiece of his human heart.