Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanieh Madanirad.
Hanieh, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. My home country has one of the richest art heritages in world history, specifically in architecture, poetry, and calligraphy. The tendency toward arts has been passed through generations over thousands of years. Even today, art classes are very popular among children and teenagers in Iran. No surprise that my parents encouraged me to attend painting classes when I was six, and calligraphy classes when I was eight. Those classes triggered my passion for arts; however, by the time I had no idea that arts would become my lifetime career. As a teenager, I was avidly engaged in learning diverse forms of arts from design to theater. Finally, I decided to study graphic design at university.
At the age of 19, one year after my university studies began, I launched my sole proprietorship graphic and advertising design firm, named Artiman Group. Along with directing my business and expanding its customer network from local businesses to national corporations, I managed to earn a B.A. in Graphic Design. This experience required me to master diverse design software, and to enhance my knowledge in both conceptual and commercial forms of arts, simultaneously.
Since I believe that a true artist should be familiar with all forms of art, I did not let my profession as a director of a firm restrict my engagement in learning and practicing other forms of art. I acquired one certificate degree in photography, and two certificate degrees in fashion design. Meanwhile, I took part in multiple group exhibitions and held a couple of solo exhibitions. I was honored to be named “elected photographer” of the fourth biennial Conceptual Arts Festival in Tehran (Oct. 2013). Later on, I got more involved in the fashion industry and established a new business named Hani Rad Fashion House. As a fashion designer, I designed hundreds of women’s clothing and held many successful fashion exhibitions in Tehran, Iran.
In 2016, my husband got admission for a Ph.D. program and we moved into the United States. The first year of living abroad was extremely challenging. I had left a whole life, including my family, friends, and businesses, behind. My English was not good and, being on an F-2 visa, I could not even work. I did not simply surrender. First, I learned English. Then, I started to become socially active by working for the Texas Fashion Collection voluntarily. Finally, I started to pursue a master’s degree in the US.
In 2019, I started my MFA in Graphic Design at Texas Woman’s University. Being raised in a country where the government has been forcing diverse restrictions on women’s life, women’s rights has been my concern since I was a teenager. However, due to strict censorship in Iran I did not have the opportunity to depict these concerns in my artworks. Thanks to living in the land of the free, I have recently made tens of artworks on this subject. My plan is to extend this stream of works down the road.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Of course not! Yet, I have no complaints as I believe that without struggling and dealing with challenges, we, human beings, do not avidly seek prosperity. Living in Iran had its own challenges, as does living in the US.
In Iran, artists, in general, face diverse challenges. Censorship, I would say, is the most important one. After the revolution of 1979, the government has been relentlessly and forcefully, Islamising every aspect of citizens’ public and private life. In doing so, the regime censors any piece of art that does not comply with Islamic values. I have personal experiences in this regard. For example, public officials shut down my fashion exhibitions a couple of times because my apparel designs, in their words, “violate Islamic dress codes.” As a female, I had to tolerate the burden of gender inequality, as well. A good example is a compulsory hijab for women. Thousands of males and females have protested against this rule and many have been imprisoned. Still, the government insists on forcing it as, to them, the hijab is a great symbol of an Islamic realm. To me as a female artist, however, it is a perfect symbol to illustrate cruel restrictions against women.
In the US, I have been facing new challenges that are distinctly different in nature. A shared challenge for all immigrants is to adapt to a new culture, language, and lifestyle. For me, this process became frustrating at some point because I did not know English at all. In addition, missing family, friends, and traditions was, and still is, agonizing. While other international students have the chance to travel back to their countries – i.e., during the summers – or to invite their families into the US, the travel ban deprives Iranian students of that. In fact, I cannot even cross the US border until I am done with my university. Add to that, financial challenges. International students cannot apply for student loans.
Due to US sanctions on Iran, I cannot even wire funds from my home country. Apart from these everyday life challenges, international artists have to cope with professional challenges as well. Science has a straight language that is globally accepted; 2+2 equals four everywhere. Artworks, on the other hand, have local/cultural components that are open to interpretations. My works, in particular, are inspired by cultural, social, and political aspects of life in Iran. I sometimes even use Persian poems and calligraphy in my works. The majority of western audiences are completely unfamiliar with these subject matters. The challenge is to design artworks that incorporate eastern themes/concepts and, at the same time, effectively connect with western audiences.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I have two main goals in mind: first, to give a voice to those women who live under intense gender inequality and, second, to open discourses that lead to mutual understandings of the cultural, social, and political differences between Western and Middle Eastern citizens. Specifically, in my recent works, my aim has been to give a voice to Iranian women and to open discourses that lead to a mutual understanding between Americans and Iranians. Throughout the last 40 years, the regime in Iran has enacted compulsory hijab, diminished women’s presence in society, and forcefully shot down any objection. While some female activists are still fighting for women’s rights, the fear of being arrested has forced the majority of ordinary people to keep silent. They have a lot to shout aloud, but they do not because it comes at a great expense. That is why I feel the responsibility to give them a voice. I hope that these works, eventually, lead to a better understanding between the people of the two countries. Unfortunately, both the media in the US and the government-owned media in Iran have continuously poisoned people’s minds with biased stories about each other. One role of modern arts has been to bring people from different nations together and to spread peace and love. I would love to play my role in this regard.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
This has been a long journey for me. From the very beginning, I had great family and teachers on my side without the help of whom I could not move on. Naming those that I can recall now would be unfair to the others. Moreover, the works of many artists have inspired me. I would like to mention Homayoun Shajarian who is one of the greatest Iranian musicians. I usually listen to his music while working and I have found it truly inspiring.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.haniehrad.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haniehrad_design/
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