Valerius Art Gallery - 1, place du Théâtre Luxembourg
Exposition du 03.04.2025 au 10.05.2025
Visite guidée en français par Lou Philipps, directrice de la galerie
‘Headless Palms’ is the first solo show by Iranian artist Samira Hodaei (*1981, Tehran, Iran) at Valerius Gallery.
This exhibition showcases the artist’s latest series, Headless Palms of Arvand Kenar, in which she delves into the complex relationship between the date palm and the people of southern Iran. By portraying headless date palms—sacred trees essential to the livelihood of Iranian families—the artist underscores their cultural, economic, and spiritual importance.
Set against the backdrop of Arvand Kenar, a region deeply impacted by the Iran-Iraq war due to its proximity to the country’s first oil refinery and the Arvand River, the series reflects the lasting scars left on the land and its people. Once fertile palm groves were transformed into battlegrounds during the conflict, leaving behind skeletal remnants.
Growing up in Khuzestan during the war, Hodaei witnessed firsthand the devastating shift from lush landscapes to barren stretches of broken forms. This haunting transformation inspired her to reimagine the palms as silent witnesses to the destruction of war. In her work, the palms take on the essence of flesh and skin, embodying the endurance and suffering of both the land and its people.
More than just representations of a landscape, Hodaei’s pieces are profound reflections on loss, resilience, and the delicate, intertwined histories of humanity and nature.
Hodaei’s works have been part of solo and group exhibitions in Europe, United States, United Arab Emirates, Asia and Australia. Recent exhibitions have been at Konschthal, Esch-sur-Alzette, LU (2024), Saarländische Galerie, Berlin, DE; Saarländische Galerie, Saarbrücken, DE (2024); Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, DE (2023).
Elvire Geiben accueillera les Amis des Musées pour ce Midi de l'Art.
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