Explore: Shirazeh Houshiary

(1955 - )

Shirazeh Houshiary was born in Shiraz, Iran. She studied at Chelsea School of Art between 1976 and 1979 and then for a year was junior fellow at the Cardiff College of Art. Her first solo exhibition was held at the Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, in 1980, since when she has exhibited regularly in solo and mixed exhibitions in Britain, Europe and America. Her sculpture is rooted in the mysticism of Islamic culture, in particular the poetic element of Sufism, but demonstrates a quest beyond cultural limitations. Treading as she does the path between poetry and the material world, Houshiary achieves an energy in her work which assumes inner light and outer strength.