Interview by Jimon

1-Where do you call home currently?  Since I moved to NYC, the question of where I call home has been one of the most challenging things I’ve faced. The concept of home and belonging has become elusive for me. So Far, I haven’t found a specific place in the USA that I can truly call home, and even the image of my actual “home” in Tehran is gradually fading as I have been far from it for two years now. At this point, I see home as more of a conceptual or mental space. The feeling of home is now a product of my imagination, the image I develop through memories of the streets in Tehran, the presence of my loved ones and friends, the familiarity of the language, and the sense of intimacy within my community. It is a deeply personal and subjective experience that has evolved for me over time.

2-How would you describe Helia Chitsazan?  I would say that I have always been an emotional and maybe a dramatic person. I have a deep connection to people, moments, and experiences, and I try to absorb the honest reality of things happening around me. Emotions are what stand out to me when recalling events from the past, watching movies, or interacting with others. While I may not always remember the exact story line of a movie, I strongly remember the emotions it evoked within me. The same goes for memories and people in my life. I view myself as a container that holds the imprints of simple yet intensely intimate moments.

3- When and how did you realize you want to be an artist?  When I was around 5 or 6 years old, I stumbled upon a drawing of my brother that my aunt had made, which I found in my mom’s album. When I asked my mom about it, she explained that my aunt had drawn it. Looking at that blew my mind because the drawing looked so much like my brother, and I had no idea that regular people could create something that resembled reality. Until then, I thought that painting and drawing were only found in history books. The excitement I felt at that moment stayed with me. Inspired by this experience, I began attending painting classes and discovered that art provided me a space to access my thoughts and express myself. I was an introverted child. However, when I was 16, my brother, who had been emotionally close to me and played the role of a friend, idol, and father, immigrated to the USA, and I didn’t see him for six years. When we were at the airport to drop him off, he kept hugging me and promised to come back to visit for the summer, but deep down, I knew it was a lie. This separation left me feeling lost and overwhelmed by a mix of emotions and a sense of loss. I found myself in a situation that I had to navigate life without the presence of my idol. It was during this challenging period that I became certain I should pursue art as my major, even though it wasn’t considered a typical choice in the family I grew up in. The absence of my brother reinforced my determination to follow my passion for art and follow my own path.

4- How did you acquire your style?  For me, painting is a language in which I can express my thoughts and emotions. When I begin a new painting, I know what kind of feeling or atmosphere it should evoke. I approach it by gradually adding layers, colors, and textures like a sculpting. I continue this process until I believe the artwork has achieved the desired point. I think my style is a consequence of experimentation in this process.

5-When does a work of art become important in your opinion?  Do you need external confirmation, or is it something explicitly personal? When it creates a space to think and manages to communicate on a deeper, emotional level and it can evoke profound feelings and create a distinct atmosphere within me and make me think about something or feel something.

6-What else interests you besides art?  I like psychology, thinking about human’s state of mind on a social level. Also I enjoy the nature, movies and group activities.

7- You recently graduated from SVA (School of Visual Arts) in New York, how has SVA affected your process as an artist?  SVA brought me the space and a state of mind which in I could only and constantly think about my practice. That has helped me to get deeper in what I want to do with my work.

8- What is the origin of each of your paintings (imagination, inspiration….)?  I have an archive of photographs and VHS videos from my family and friends back home in Tehran. I look at them sometimes for inspiration but most of the works are based on my imagination.

9- Do you listen to music while creating? If yes, what genre?  I listen to a verity of different music based on the mood of the work or my own mood.

10- The last piece of art that totally blew your mind? Liquid Sunshine by Rui Sasaki

11- If you could live in a museum anywhere in the world which would it be?  The Met

12- You have unlimited money to buy one piece of art what would it be?  Probably Water lilies by Monet.

13- Do you have a place/person/thing that you visit for inspiration?Nature, movie, museum, driving, friends

14- How do you define success?Being happy with the art I create and having a community with similar goals and understanding also influencing my audience with my art.

15-Name three things you can’t live without in your studio?Mirror, light, painting material

16-How would someone find you on Social media? Instagram: helia.cht

17- Please name the first thing that comes to your mind while reading the following:

Art= self conflict

Food= ghormeh Sabzi

Sports= swimming

Politics= disgusting

Poor= a little match girl

God= light

Rich= fancy house

Luxury= fake

Sex= fun

Picasso= smart

Religion= nonsense