the father tapes
Series of Video Shorts, 2009-Ongoing.
The Father Tapes is an ongoing series of video shorts in which I embody my father, a Baha'i Iranian immigrant in the US trying to assimilate and educate his daughter about life as an American. Recording conversations my father and I have on the phone and using these as verbatim texts, I then videotape myself acting as my father giving advice to me. By acting as him, his words become mine and I understand his inner conflicts and daily struggle as an Iranian immigrant living in the US and how this influences me. The character I embody is the father from my memory, and I manifest him here in physical reality. Creating a psychological loop, I explore perceptions of self and identity formation through embodying a persona whose experience shaped my cultural perspective as well as my ego.
how do you feel about the holidays?, VHS, trt:6:51, 2010.
Were You Good at Math?, DV, trt:4:15, 2009.
Could There Be an Iranian-American President?
DV, trt: 3:07, 2009.