InMemoryOf
February 17–March 3
The Anderson is pleased to present InMemoryOf, a solo exhibition from Raana Abtahi (Sculpture BFA candidate) as part of its Open Call initiative, on view in the Hidden Galleries on the top floor of the Anderson building. An immersive installation, InMemoryOf provides a space for reflection that is open to interpretation and meant to be experienced on a personal level.
Artist Bio
Projected to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture from VCUArts in the Spring of 2023, Raana is a Persian American whose heritage heavily influences her art as she constantly brings awareness to Eastern feminism through a distortion of Western feminism. Her art is also influenced by mental and physical illnesses that have had several adverse effects on her life in ways that only those who suffer the same conditions could fathom. The installations that Raana creates can be thought of as parts of a series that tell the story of her individual life while addressing societal issues that affect the common collective. Despite all the tragedies she has fought through, Raana still finds an overwhelming amount of beauty in the world and when she began her career as an artist, she wanted to produce works that highlighted this concept. Her art has taught her that the definition of beauty is subjective and dependent upon each individual’s story. Raana has and will continue to create escapist art in which she turns the traumas, experiences, and beliefs that shape her into surreal, unordinary, and beautiful sculptures.