My work delves into the intricate intersections of personal history, cultural identity, and the emotional landscapes I traverse as a woman. Rooted in the rich heritage of my Iranian upbringing and shaped by my experiences in the West, my practice examines the tension between tradition and modernity, intimacy and displacement, fragility and resilience. I adopt a multidisciplinary approach, blending drawing, printmaking, and collage to craft layered compositions that resonate with both nostalgia and contemporaneity. used in her dressmaking, weave through vibrant, contemporary forms, creating a visual language that bridges the timeless and the forward-looking. At the heart of my work are female figures, poised in a liminal space where strength and vulnerability coexist. These figures, nestled within intricate patterns and dynamic color fields, navigate the complexities of identity and memory. My canvases become spaces where personal and collective narratives intersect, inviting viewers to explore the fluid dialogue between past and present. Through my art, I strive to capture the resilience of the human spirit, inviting audiences to confront the delicate balance between joy and melancholy, light and shadow. My work serves as a meditation on the beauty found in these contrasts, offering a space for introspection and connection.
Elham Bayati is an Iranian-born, U.S.-based artist whose work explores the layered complexities of personal history, cultural identity, and the emotional terrain of womanhood. Drawing from her Iranian heritage and her experience navigating life in the West, she works across drawing, printmaking, and collage to create intricate, dream-like compositions. Floral motifs and textile patterns—often inspired by her grandmother’s scarves and her mother’s dressmaking fabrics—are recurring elements in her work. These symbols of memory and femininity are woven into richly layered pieces that explore the tensions between tradition and modernity, strength and vulnerability, and belonging and displacement. Her female figures become vessels for storytelling, introspection, and transformation. Bayati’s work has received recognition including first place in the Ohio Art League’s Fall Juried Exhibition (2018), and she was featured in the More is More exhibition at the Akron Museum of Art (2021), highlighting contemporary artists. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions internationally. In addition to her studio practice, Bayati teaches painting and drawing at the Columbus College of Art and Design. She is deeply committed to nurturing creativity through both academic and private instruction. Through her art, Bayati invites viewers into a space of reflection—on identity, memory, resilience, and the poetic beauty of contrasts.