Bodies Out of Place: Performance, Space, and Gender in Contemporary Iran
Doctoral Dissertation in Performance Studies and Human Geography Goldsmiths, University of London, 2022
My practice-based doctoral thesis focuses on the creation of alternative emancipatory spaces of everyday life, through transgressive performances. I specifically look into singing by Iranian women and how, with all the cultural and legal obstacles, they find ways to express themselves through their voice. Exploring tactics with which to reclaim space used by women, I propose focusing on the body and the ephemerality of performance.
My latest talk based on this research was at Performance Research Forum in February 2020
2018- Ongoing
In 2018 I co-founded Konesh, a migrating platform for critical and creative spatial practices. At Konesh we bring artists, activists, architects, cultural practitioners, scholars, policy makers and scientists together to challenge more traditional understandings of space, cities and our contemporary urban condition.
Beyond merely reflecting of what diverse definitions of space could look like, we aim at proposing different ways of engaging with cities and spatial practices in general. In this sense, we push for a dialogue between a diversity of thinkers and practitioners, coming from different disciplines and places, thus puzzling naturalised geographical borders and disciplinary thresholds. We try to blur boundaries between digital and analogue conditions of space.
Konesh publishes interdisciplinary content in the Konesh journal. We also curate cultural interventions as site-specific events in different cities, which are livestreamed on our social media channels, engaging a global audience.
Teaching Experience
Lecturer in Arts and Politics, Critical Thinking and Performance Studies
Guest Lecturer, MA Art and Politics, Goldsmiths, Spring term 2020
Tutor, Art History/Storytelling, Scholar Programme, The Brilliant Club, Summer term 2020
Workshop on feminist interventions for MA gender and culture, Goldsmiths, London 2020
Workshop on performance and architecture, LIMINAL, Tehran, Iran, 2016
Workshop on site-specific art, Kaarnamaa, Charsoo Art Institute, Tehran, Iran, 2016
Workshop on artistic intervention, Rediscovering the Radical Conference, Liverpool, UK, 2016
Selected Conferences, Lectures and Talks:
2013 - Now
Performance Research Forum, London, February 2020
Sound: Gender: Feminism: Activism, Tokyo University of the Arts, 2019
Song of Disobedience, Goldsmiths, University of London, 2019
Konesh TRACE event, Cairo, 2019
TRANS - ASTR (American Society of Theatre Research) Conference, Minneapolis, US, 2016
A Car of Her Own, a performance-talk at University of Leeds, UK, 2016
Rediscovering the Radical Conference, Liverpool, 2016
Andar(Bir)ouni, Talkwalk Lecture Series, Tehran, Iran, 2016
Rupture in Space, Kaarnamaa, Charsoo Art Institute, Tehran, Iran, 2016
From one home to the other, interactive performance-lecture, the Graduate Festival at Goldsmiths, 2014
Selected Exhibitions, Events and Performances:
2012- Now
D-CAF Art Festival, Cairo, 2019
The Plinth and the Performer, Konesh Launch Event, London, 2018
Killjoy Party, A Celebration of Disruptive Women, Libreria, London, 2018
Forced Interruption, Participatory Video, as Part of Enghelab Street Group Exhibition, ZK/U Berlin, 2015
Half-Open Mouth, Poetry Performance and Book Launch, The Yard Theatre, London, 2012