BabyMaybe is an interactive project by Labkhand Olfatmanesh that delves into the taboos and narratives of individuals identifying as women and their connection to parenting throughout different ages and periods.
Despite advancements since the 1960s women's liberation movement, the societal assumption that a woman must become a mother persists. How did bearing a child become a key indicator of a woman’s identity and value? Since spring of 2018, the BabyMaybe project has taken on multiple forms including photography, performance art, installation, and creative collaborations. Through interviews with women in Iran, Olfatmanesh aims to shed light on the societal pressure they face regarding procreation. As an Iranian artist living outside of her homeland, Olfatmanesh honors her solidarity with women who do not have the privilege or voice to explore their choices.
Just like the themes being explored, "BabyMaybe" is an ongoing and evolving project, symbolizing a significant work in progress. Join Labkhand Olfatmanesh on this artistic journey as she nurtures her most ambitious art-child to date...
Labkhand Olfatmanesh is an Iranian-American artist who lives and works in Los Angeles.
Olfatmanesh’s creative practice examines topics of feminism, race, and isolation. She explores intersections of language barriers and facilitates conversations among immigrant communities to allow her to fill in missing, multi-faceted expressions of narratives. Currently, she's an artist resident at the 18th Street airport campus in Los Angeles. Her work has been shown around the world, from the U.K.'s Photo London to France's Rencontres d’Arles, and locally at places like Craft Contemporary. Olfatmanesh's impact stretches from museums like the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco to the CICA Museum in South Korea. Her work has also been featured by the United Nations, the British Council, and Australian High Commission in Cyprus.
She has won many awards and artist residencies, including recognition from theLensCulture Portrait Awards and the Los Angeles Center of Photography. Olfatmanesh’s involvement in programs like Arts for LA Fellowship shows her dedication to leadership and innovation. She's also part of organizations like Level Ground and has contributed as a grant panelist at the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and California Arts Council.
Olfatmanesh completed the Studio Photography program, London TV and filmmaking Academy in 2005 and She earned her BA in Graphic design from the Azad University of Tehran, Iran.
Exhibition dates: October 25th - November 8th, 2023
Opening reception: October 25th, 5-7pm
Closing Reception and Performance by Ashley Menestrina: November 8, 5-7pm
Worth Ryder Art Gallery, Anthropology and Art Practice Building (AAPB), near the intersection of College Avenue and Bancroft Way
Hours:
Mon, Tues, Thur, Friday: 12-5pm
Wednesday: 1-7pm
Saturday: 12-3pm