Monstera in Conversation

The eighth episode features a conversation between Monstera and Dr. Hamoon Khelghat-Doost. He is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Üsküdar University. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Singapore (NUS). His main fields of interest include gender, media, forced migration, political violence, international security, terrorism, and sustainable development with special focus on the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. He is author of the book The Strategic Logic of Women in Jihadi Organizations: From Operation to State Building (Springer, 2021). Dr. Khelghat-Doost is also a Next Generation Leader on Gender, Peace, and Security (GPS) at Women in International Security (WIIS), Washington D.C., United States as well as a member of the Board of Academia at the Academy of Security, Intelligence and Risk Studies in Singapore.

The seventh episode features a unique conversation between Monstera and Klez Brandar, a French photographer who travelled the world. After living in South America, New Zealand, Italy and Spain, he finally landed in Prague with his suitcases and films.

Since then, Klez walks around his adopted city, skateboard in one hand and the analogue camera in the other. Klez embarked on the adventure Triste Mesure (Sad Measurement), grasping snapshots week after week that feed the poetic appetites of his accomplices. Since then, Klez made more pictures, had more different ideas, met new people, asked himself other questions and skated other kilometers through Prague. He is still in perpetual move and not missing any chance to create something new by interaction, by taking a picture, writing few lines, singing some notes. 

The sixth episode features a unique conversation between Monstera and Max Ryynänen, a Helsinki-based Finnish philosopher and theorist of art, who works at Aalto University. Furthermore, He has been gallerist, he has written manuscripts and done performances, and he is a writer – with two essay books out and the first novel coming out in fall 2021. He is the Editor-in-Chief of two scholarly journals, Popular Inquiry and The Journal of Somaesthetics. More: http://maxryynanen.net.

The fifth episode features a conversation between Monstera and Yosra Emamizadeh. Yosra is a visual artist who finds inspiration by exploring topics about womanhood, introspection, and spirituality. She is a lover of nature, Islamic Art, Persian design, and contemplates spiritual and existential concepts in her work. Yosra started drawing from a young age while growing up in Tehran. After completing her studies at the American University of Beirut, she attended the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, and later earned her Master’s degree in Museum Studies from Harvard University. As part of her alternative art practice, Yosra produces her podcast “Tavān Studio in Conversation” where she interviews female artists and makers in the MENASA region and the diaspora about their practice and creative living.

The fourth episode features a conversation between Monstera and Houria Hashemi. Houria is a passionate multinational artist, currently resides in London. She studied Contemporary Art in University of Sorbonne, Paris. Painting was her first medium but by more exploration, she got interested in Photography, Performance and Installation. She was born in an immigrant family, that’s why she is keen to talk about Identity, Women and Immigration through her art. She has passed a lot of ordeal and finally arrived to the right track. She is moving forward passionately and no way for her to stop.

Music credit: Alexandra Stréliski & Mohammadreza Lotfi

The third episode features a unique conversation between Monstera and Hamed Babaei, a visual artist and composer who currently resides in Tehran, Iran. Furthermore, Hamed is a founder at Baramant Music Band since 2007. His studio practice enclouds visual arts as well as musical performances. Hamed tries to awake senses through his art. The major importance of subjects has been an integral part of Hamed’s artistic temperament.

The second episode features a conversation between Monstera and Dr. Izmer Ahmad, an artist-academician who currently teaches at the College of Fine Arts & Design, University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Trained both in studio practice and academic  research, Izmer's professional activities encompass creative production as well as academic publication.

The first episode is an introduction that features Elham Shafaei's (the person behind this project) conversation with the Monstera plant to introduce the whole project. This first shall be followed later on with a whole series of conversation between the plant and other individuals.