Negar Kamkhah
Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1991, Negar is a Photographer and a Visual artist. She received her BA in Graphic Design from Tehran University of Arts in 2014 and graduated with a Master’s in Contemporary Photography from EFTI, Spain, in 2016.
Her photographic work is mostly about memories of different generations, the passage of life and a past linked to the present. She is also interested in Human-Nature relations.
Could you tell us more about your background and how you began creating art?
I was born and raised in a family of many artists; mostly illustrators and Persian miniature painters. Perhaps that was the main reason that I have found enough support and space to be creative in this field. I started art education when I was 15 and since then my everyday life is tied to art. Whether it's drawing, designing, or photographing. I started with a BA degree in Graphic Design in Iran; after that I got my Master’s degree in Contemporary Photography and Personal Projects in Spain, and I’m currently based in Switzerland. Living in different countries gave me the chance to see the world from different perspectives and to collaborate with other artists.
What does your art aim to say to its viewers?
The most important aspect of my artwork is to convey how our life is similar to one another. No matter where we are from or where we live.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your daily routine when working?
It always starts with inspiration. I try to find it throughout the simplicity of life; nature, people, conversations, ….
There are times that I’m more focused on creating and spending the whole day working either on the concept or the visuals of the projects. And many days pass by without any incident. I guess inspiration comes when we least expect it. The best way is to let it occur naturally. And not to forget that you are still an artist on the days when you don’t create.
What is the essential element in your art?
I would say the keywords for me are “communicatively” and the never-ending attempt to find the “intersections” in our lives. I try to use whatever it takes to visualize my ideas and messages. Therefore each component (concept, material, ...) in my art functions as a medium to translate my thoughts into visuals. My art is a bridge language.
In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society?
I try my best to escape the ways of thinking that limit people’s roles to their profession, social level, etc. To my mind, the best definition of an artist is someone who makes us ponder a bit more about our surroundings using his/her art. I believe that is a great responsibility and a massive privilege at the same time.
