Kimia Ferdowsi Kline

Informed by psychology and trauma theory, my paintings house personal narratives that also relate to larger, universal themes of family, intimacy, heartbreak and connection. The employment of papyrus-as-canvas in these works is a stand-in for fragile, yet resilient skin. Papyrus, native to the MENA region, roots the work in the geography of my homeland. It’s also the first form of paper created by humans ~3000 BC, infusing the work with ancient and archetypal references. The mixed media approach I use incorporates traditional and non-traditional materials such as thread, pearls, rubies, glass beads, glitter and ink. Strands of gemstones are sewn into the papyrus, embellishing the surfaces, and also infusing them with deeper meaning. The work combines art forms of the East and West–a synthesis of my personal identity and aesthetic education.

Kimia Ferdowsi Kline earned an M.F.A. at the San Francisco Art Institute and holds a B.F.A. in painting from Washington University in St. Louis. She has mounted solo exhibitions at Turn Gallery (New York), Marrow Gallery (San Francisco), The Elaine L. Jacobs Gallery at Wayne State University (Detroit) and 68 Projects (Berlin). Select group shows include Diane Rosenstein Gallery, Ceysson & Bénétière, The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, CANADA Gallery, and The Drawing Center. In 2015 she was awarded a grant and residency through the New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2018 she was honored to be nominated for a Rema Hort Mann Emerging Artist Grant. Most recently, she is thrilled to be working on a monograph with Radius Books. Guest lectures and teaching include Yale University, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, SUNY Purchase, The Fashion Institute of Technology, Brooklyn College, Wayne State University, and Chautauqua Institute. She is currently an art professor at Vanderbilt University.