In the interview with Glenn, Soroudi is transparent when talking about her upbringing and how the Islamic Revolution really affected her family. Her family seems really cool and open minded. She mentioned them to be a moderate Muslim family. I appreciate her honesty when she said if she stayed living in Iran, she would be living a fair comfortable lifestyle.. But it definitely seems like her upbringing and her parents supported and inspired her to travel and move to Malaysia first and then the United States.
Many times I have imagined myself growing up in a different country and wonder if I would want to move to America like many people want to. It definitely takes courage and a strength.
Soroudi is an interdisciplinary artist who is interested in producing exhibitions that provoke and allow for explorations that go beyond the exhibit. In Gelnn's interview with Mahasa, they discuss two of Soroudi's projects, "Natures Cadence" and "7,500 miles." "Natures Cadence" resonated with me the most. I personally love plants. I enjoy bringing succulents into my living spaces. They can bring life and energy into a space, making a room feel alive and not so dead and lonely. Mahasa explains that when she moved to the US she felt homesick and an emptiness that she could not get rid of as she struggled to adapt to her new environment. While spending much time alone she started to pay attention to how the energy and attention she gave her plants influenced her plant's growth. Her plants resilience to flourish amd survive even through cutting and replanting inspired her to stay strong, optimistic, and patient as she settled in the US which ultimately filled the emptiness she felt.
Mahasa Soroudi is an Iranian artist from Tehran, Iran. She was born in 1981 to a not so conservative and strict Muslim family, which allowed her to have a good understanding of different cultures around the world. In the interview she talks about how her family illegally watched American films and traveled, specifically to Asian countries, which kept her in touch to what was going on in the world. She touches upon the challenges and conflicting ideas that came about in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. Although many changes and restrictions occurred in her country, it did not affect nor stop her and her family from wanting to see the world and search for further opportunity. Soroudi's father is a painter who has his painting academy. Mahasa obtained a BFA degree in Visual Communications from the Azad Art and Architecture University, Tehran in 2006. In 2012, Mahasa moved to the United States with her husband.
Mahsa Soroudi
