UNMASKED UNMASKED reflects Deaf View Image Art (De’VIA) with its sea of faces - vibrant contrasting colours, textures, Deaf community experience and values. Deaf people are regularly stereotyped based on little knowledge and stigma. In this exhibit, we are all equal - we are different, but the same. You don't know if we are Deaf or hearing until you open the box. Who are we truly? Open the boxes to see our identities through the stories and my artwork inside. We are as private or open as we wish to be. We have control over our identity. Discover who we are. UNMASKED provides visitors a unique insider’s experience and perspective on Deaf culture. MEDIUM: Mixed media (oil, acrylic, watercolour, ceramic, photography, paper, wood, and metal). |
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https://www.cbc.ca/arts/canadacouncildigitaloriginals/newly-digitized-exhibition-takes-on-hearing-culture-and-assumptions-about-people-who-are-deaf-1.5803902
Eyes must be washed
Things must be seen differently
by Sohrab Sepehri
چشم ها را باید شست، جور دیگر باید دید
سهراب سپهری
Grey Mask
I feel frustrated I can’t express myself or who I am to people who don’t know Deaf culture or American Sign Language (ASL). When I move my arms and my face in ASL, sometimes people stare at me with their narrow eyes and tight lips. I have been hit for using sign language. As a child I have taught older Deaf classmates sign language in the bathrooms at school in secret. Sometimes when I’m around hearing people who don’t sign, I feel like I am not alive and hidden away. I want to share stories, folklore and jokes from my Deaf culture to show who I am but I don’t feel free to do so. Mask Motif- I took my inspiration from Harlan Lane’s book “The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community and De’VIA motif of use of Mask to show oppression. The grey colour is used to show industrial approach being used by medical profession with parents of Deaf babies and young children about cochlear implant without sharing about options for languages and/or Deaf culture.
I feel frustrated I can’t express myself or who I am to people who don’t know Deaf culture or American Sign Language (ASL). When I move my arms and my face in ASL, sometimes people stare at me with their narrow eyes and tight lips. I have been hit for using sign language. As a child I have taught older Deaf classmates sign language in the bathrooms at school in secret. Sometimes when I’m around hearing people who don’t sign, I feel like I am not alive and hidden away. I want to share stories, folklore and jokes from my Deaf culture to show who I am but I don’t feel free to do so. Mask Motif- I took my inspiration from Harlan Lane’s book “The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community and De’VIA motif of use of Mask to show oppression. The grey colour is used to show industrial approach being used by medical profession with parents of Deaf babies and young children about cochlear implant without sharing about options for languages and/or Deaf culture.
Growing Plants
I know and believe that I can do anything. I can reach for the sky, I am alive and beautiful. Growing plants represent growth and being able to breathe. Plants produce Oxygen for us and are important for good health. I can create and give back to society. I can show people new ways of looking at Deaf culture and communication. For years people have told me that I could not do my PhD because I was dumb, deaf, or not capable. I didn’t give up, I keep on growing and finding my way to the sky. I got my PhD. When people tell me I can’t do something because I’m Deaf, I will stop, breathe, and find ways to keep on growing. I used colour pink to represent Pink Day here in Canada for support diversity and stop homophobia as I am queer. Pink flowers are alive, beautiful and loved and I am too.
I know and believe that I can do anything. I can reach for the sky, I am alive and beautiful. Growing plants represent growth and being able to breathe. Plants produce Oxygen for us and are important for good health. I can create and give back to society. I can show people new ways of looking at Deaf culture and communication. For years people have told me that I could not do my PhD because I was dumb, deaf, or not capable. I didn’t give up, I keep on growing and finding my way to the sky. I got my PhD. When people tell me I can’t do something because I’m Deaf, I will stop, breathe, and find ways to keep on growing. I used colour pink to represent Pink Day here in Canada for support diversity and stop homophobia as I am queer. Pink flowers are alive, beautiful and loved and I am too.
KHOSROW AND SHIRIN
HEARING OF THE GRACES OF SHIRIN, PRINCESS OF ARMENIA, PARVIZ, SON OF HORMUZ, KING OF PERSIA, FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE PRINCESS. SHIRIN IN TURN FALLS IN LOVE WITH PARVIZ WHEN SHE HAS THE OCCASION TO SEE HIS PORTRAIT PAINTED BY HIS TALENTED COMPANION SHAPUR. MANY OBSTACLES MUST BE OVERCOME BEFORE THE TWO LOVERS ARE FINALLY UNITED. BY THAT TIME, THE PERSIAN PRINCE SUCCEEDS HIS FATHER BECOMING KHOSROW PARVIZ. AFTERWARD HE HAS A SON BY ANOTHER SPOUSE. THE SON IS NAMED SHURIYEH. ALTHOUGH HE IS AWARE OF THE MALEVOLENCE OF HIS OWN SON, KHOSROW PARVIZ STILL ALLOWS FOR HIS SON TO SUCCEED HIM AS KING, IN ORDER THAT HE CAN SPEND ALL HIS DAYS WITH HIS TRUE LOVE SHIRIN, FAR FROM THE TROUBLES OF THE KINGDOM. SHURIYEH HOWEVER IMPRISONS HIS FATHER ALONG WITH HIS STEPMOTHER SHIRIN, IN A CASTLE WHICH WILL LATER BE THE PLACE OF HIS EXECUTION ON THE ORDERS OF HIS OWN SON.. SHIRIN QUIETLY SUFFERS THE DEATH OF HER LOVER CAUSED BY THE TREACHERY OF HIS OWN SON. ON THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL OF PARVIZ, SHE ENTERS THE TOMB WHERE HIS BODY HAS BEEN PLACED AND PLUNGES A DAGGER INTO HER OWN HEART, ON HER LAST BREATH FALLING ON THE CORPSE OF HER LOVER, ONCE AGAIN UNITED WITH HIM IN DEATH..
HEARING OF THE GRACES OF SHIRIN, PRINCESS OF ARMENIA, PARVIZ, SON OF HORMUZ, KING OF PERSIA, FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE PRINCESS. SHIRIN IN TURN FALLS IN LOVE WITH PARVIZ WHEN SHE HAS THE OCCASION TO SEE HIS PORTRAIT PAINTED BY HIS TALENTED COMPANION SHAPUR. MANY OBSTACLES MUST BE OVERCOME BEFORE THE TWO LOVERS ARE FINALLY UNITED. BY THAT TIME, THE PERSIAN PRINCE SUCCEEDS HIS FATHER BECOMING KHOSROW PARVIZ. AFTERWARD HE HAS A SON BY ANOTHER SPOUSE. THE SON IS NAMED SHURIYEH. ALTHOUGH HE IS AWARE OF THE MALEVOLENCE OF HIS OWN SON, KHOSROW PARVIZ STILL ALLOWS FOR HIS SON TO SUCCEED HIM AS KING, IN ORDER THAT HE CAN SPEND ALL HIS DAYS WITH HIS TRUE LOVE SHIRIN, FAR FROM THE TROUBLES OF THE KINGDOM. SHURIYEH HOWEVER IMPRISONS HIS FATHER ALONG WITH HIS STEPMOTHER SHIRIN, IN A CASTLE WHICH WILL LATER BE THE PLACE OF HIS EXECUTION ON THE ORDERS OF HIS OWN SON.. SHIRIN QUIETLY SUFFERS THE DEATH OF HER LOVER CAUSED BY THE TREACHERY OF HIS OWN SON. ON THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL OF PARVIZ, SHE ENTERS THE TOMB WHERE HIS BODY HAS BEEN PLACED AND PLUNGES A DAGGER INTO HER OWN HEART, ON HER LAST BREATH FALLING ON THE CORPSE OF HER LOVER, ONCE AGAIN UNITED WITH HIM IN DEATH..
Rostam and Sohrab
Rostam, the great hero of Persians, searches for a wfe in the nearby Kingdom of Samagan, There the king invites him as a guest in his palace. Late at night, the king's daughter, Tahmineh slips into the hero's bedchamber and reveals her beauty to him, the light of the single lantern she carries, the only illumination between them. After their passionate night together, Rostam offers Tahmineh an amulet, instructing her that if they have a son, he is to wear it around his arm. Rostam leaves Tahmineh with the first light of sun,Tahmineh filled with forebdoing that he will never see her lover again. Rostam returns home. As the years pass he forgets that night of love he passed in Samagan. Tahmineh however always is reminded of Rostam for she has their son who always wears on his arm the amulet her lover gave her The son grows up and becomes a brave paladin like his father. She calls him Sohrab. One day Sohrab asks his mother about his father. Once the story is told, Sohrab is determined to find his father. How proud he would be of this son he never knew! In his quest, Sohrab engages in a number fo miltary exploits, earning for himself a reputation of prowess on the battlefield matched only by that of Rostam.. Yet one day, fate cruelly places Sohrab and Rostam fighting on opposite sides of the same battlefield. Rostam at that time is already older, touched with the cunning and cynicism that comes from many years of war making. Youthful Sohrab however still has the unknowing yearning for glory. Neither recognize each other through the armour and the many years that have passed between them. The two fight together in single combat to the death. It is only when Sohrab falls dying that he cries out the name of the father he has been seeking. At first Rostam cannot believe Sohrab's claim. It is only when he removes the armor of the young paladin, that Rostam sees the dying youth wear on his arm the very amulet he gave to Tahmineh. Rostam roars in grief, weeping futile tears to what cannot be undoneThink! Who abideth in the in the world for ever? We are the quarry, and death hunteth us, No matter whether we wear casqued or crown
Rostam, the great hero of Persians, searches for a wfe in the nearby Kingdom of Samagan, There the king invites him as a guest in his palace. Late at night, the king's daughter, Tahmineh slips into the hero's bedchamber and reveals her beauty to him, the light of the single lantern she carries, the only illumination between them. After their passionate night together, Rostam offers Tahmineh an amulet, instructing her that if they have a son, he is to wear it around his arm. Rostam leaves Tahmineh with the first light of sun,Tahmineh filled with forebdoing that he will never see her lover again. Rostam returns home. As the years pass he forgets that night of love he passed in Samagan. Tahmineh however always is reminded of Rostam for she has their son who always wears on his arm the amulet her lover gave her The son grows up and becomes a brave paladin like his father. She calls him Sohrab. One day Sohrab asks his mother about his father. Once the story is told, Sohrab is determined to find his father. How proud he would be of this son he never knew! In his quest, Sohrab engages in a number fo miltary exploits, earning for himself a reputation of prowess on the battlefield matched only by that of Rostam.. Yet one day, fate cruelly places Sohrab and Rostam fighting on opposite sides of the same battlefield. Rostam at that time is already older, touched with the cunning and cynicism that comes from many years of war making. Youthful Sohrab however still has the unknowing yearning for glory. Neither recognize each other through the armour and the many years that have passed between them. The two fight together in single combat to the death. It is only when Sohrab falls dying that he cries out the name of the father he has been seeking. At first Rostam cannot believe Sohrab's claim. It is only when he removes the armor of the young paladin, that Rostam sees the dying youth wear on his arm the very amulet he gave to Tahmineh. Rostam roars in grief, weeping futile tears to what cannot be undoneThink! Who abideth in the in the world for ever? We are the quarry, and death hunteth us, No matter whether we wear casqued or crown
Bijan and Manijeh
Bijan, a young paladin dispatched by the Persian king, Kay Khosrow on a mission to save the people of Armenia from a scrouge which has left their land in famine. On his journey, the young hero chances upon an enocunter with Manijeh, daughter of Afrasyab, King of Turan, the perpetual foe of Persia, who is enjoying a party with her women in a meadow nearby the borders of Armenia.The peincess and the paladin become smitten with one another and the princess vows to keep their affair secret from her father Afrastab. When her father however by chance finds out about this secret tryst, he banishes his own daughter and has the young hero thrown into a deep well, whose mouth is stopped by a large stone
Manjieh visits the well every day and through a small opening left by the stone, with a rope she sends down food she has begged for that day to nourish her imprisoned lover. Kay khosrow, in the meanwhile, in looking into a magic cup, finds out that Bijan has been taken prisoner by his for foe, the King of Turan. This time he dispatches, the great paladin, Rostam, strongest of men, to rescue the young hero.Through his strength and his stealth, Rostam rescues Bijan and returns with both him and his lover Manijeh. The two lovers are then married under the blessings of the king, Kay Khosrow.
Bijan, a young paladin dispatched by the Persian king, Kay Khosrow on a mission to save the people of Armenia from a scrouge which has left their land in famine. On his journey, the young hero chances upon an enocunter with Manijeh, daughter of Afrasyab, King of Turan, the perpetual foe of Persia, who is enjoying a party with her women in a meadow nearby the borders of Armenia.The peincess and the paladin become smitten with one another and the princess vows to keep their affair secret from her father Afrastab. When her father however by chance finds out about this secret tryst, he banishes his own daughter and has the young hero thrown into a deep well, whose mouth is stopped by a large stone
Manjieh visits the well every day and through a small opening left by the stone, with a rope she sends down food she has begged for that day to nourish her imprisoned lover. Kay khosrow, in the meanwhile, in looking into a magic cup, finds out that Bijan has been taken prisoner by his for foe, the King of Turan. This time he dispatches, the great paladin, Rostam, strongest of men, to rescue the young hero.Through his strength and his stealth, Rostam rescues Bijan and returns with both him and his lover Manijeh. The two lovers are then married under the blessings of the king, Kay Khosrow.