Echo exhibition at Gallery Kayafas explores hybridity through seven Iranian-American women artists

Gallery Kayafas in Boston presented Echo, a group exhibition curated by Azita Moradkhani from May 26 to July 8, 2017. Seven artists participated: Samira Abbassy, Roya Farassat, Anahita Vossoughi, Armita Raafat, Maryam Hoseini, Elnaz Javani, and Sepideh Behrouzian. Composer Bahar Royaee created music for the opening and closing receptions. The show moved beyond identity politics to examine hybridity through diverse artistic approaches. Abbassy's paintings and sculptures merged human and animal forms, referencing mythological creatures like the Sphinx and Lamassu. Farassat's "Menagerie" series used bleached paper and acrylic paint to create chimeric insect-human hybrids. Vossoughi installed biomorphic sculptures combining clay, plaster, wax, wood, and found objects. Raafat's wall-mounted works drew from Islamic architectural elements like Murqanas, using mirrors to create reflective echoes. Hoseini's paintings featured abstracted female figures in geometric spaces, with ultramarine pigment spilling beyond frames. Javani embroidered fragmented limbs on sheer fabric with crimson thread. Behrouzian painted over pages from an Iranian decorating catalog, juxtaposing landscapes with consumer imagery. The exhibition was located at 450 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA.