Invisible Identity
The Body's Absence Says More Than Its Presence
Leila Khalilzadeh Aghdami
2024 Artist in Residence Exhibit
August TBD to September 21, 2024

Opening Reception:
Saturday, August 31st 6-8pm

Leila Khalilzadeh's work delves into the exploration of identity perception, focusing on the presence and absence of the female body. Her artistic practice engages with themes of gender, cultural identity, and psychological issues, using memory and identity as central elements. Khalilzadeh's cultural background and upbringing have significantly influenced her passion for art and critical thinking. Drawing from her experiences as a woman, she challenges cultural and traditional norms, particularly those linked to patriarchy and women's rights.

Her primary medium is oil on canvas and fabric, often incorporating textiles and other materials. Including crochet in her paintings, she addresses a tradition that connects generations and cultures, symbolizing both intergenerational bonds and the labor-intensive work often associated with low wages. Her work serves as a metaphor for the complexities and challenges related to female identity within a patriarchal system, touching on legal, cultural, social, political, and familial issues.

Profoundly influenced by her experiences within a patriarchal, traditional, and religious society, Khalilzadeh reflects on gender inequality and violations of women's social rights. These reflections and conversations with others fuel her commitment to addressing these issues through her art.

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About the Artist:​
​Leila K. Aghdami's work focuses on her perception and experience as a woman. She received her associate degree in Liberal Arts and Science from San Diego Mesa College in 2017 and continued at the University of California, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Visual Arts (Studio) in 2019. Aghdami holds a Master of Fine Arts from San Diego State University, graduating in 2023.

Her practice addresses the subjects of gender, cultural identity, feminist resistance, healing, and psychological issues. She uses memory as a material and identity as a construction. Her experience as a woman who has faced the difficulties of life in the Middle East enables her to create contemporary work that responds to political events and cultural and religious discourse. The concept of her work revolves around the inner tensions that women experience, arising from various social factors, including censorship regarding religion and politics. Aghdami experiments with various materials and methods to convey her concepts. Her most recent paintings are oil on canvas and vinyl, layered with silk and other materials.

Aghdami has exhibited her work in the San Diego-Tijuana region, Los Angeles, Europe, and the Middle East.

​Follow Leila on Instagram
Gallery Hours:
Thursdays and Fridays 2-5pm (entry thru Gallery)
Saturdays 11am-1pm (entry thru Garden)
​or by appointment HERE. 
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