Noah Kashiani | Featured artist

Noah Kashiani Short story

My name is Noah Kashiani. I am a Chicago based artist. One of my favorite things to do is walk around and just look at stuff. Buildings, trees, it never gets old. Since there is so much cool stuff to find in Chicago, I go to thrift stores nearly each day. I can’t miss the opportunity to find something vintage or bizarre.

Almost all my materials are sourced from thrift stores around Chicago. My work is a testament to high fashion, not only aesthetically but also by placing emphasis on materialism and late-stage capitalism.

I would design basketball sneakers in my sketchbooks for as long as I can remember.

When I became a teenager, I would paint compositions of 90’s and early 2000’s rappers and put them on my bedroom wall.

Growing up just outside of Cleveland, Ohio I had to keep busy somehow. I played a lot of basketball, there isn't much to do in the midwest.

I was always very musically inclined as well, playing the violin and piano from a young age.

My love for music transitioned into the contemporary realm, hence the paintings of the hip-hop artists.

This frivolous aesthetic in content and style screams late-stage capitalism and what appeared to be valued in the American society.

My interests seamlessly transitioned into the fashion world ranging from designer handbags to Air Jordan tennis shoes.

This is where the crux of my design aesthetic is built from. I was attracted to the pink fur jackets and the spinning rims in music videos.

My aesthetic was forming even before I really started making objects.

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You can never get enough of what you don't really want" -Rick Hanson (Neuropsychologist)

Where, when and how do you work best?

My studio is located in an old funeral home (in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago) converted into an artist gallery and space called Parlour and Ramp.

I have a space in the basement, and another work area in what was the parlor of the old funeral home.

I work my best in the studio starting early in the morning, while the sun is out. I use a lot of messy and smelly materials, so I work outside as often as I can.

These are just the physical aspects of creating.

The most important part of my practice usually comes later at night before I fall asleep.

For me, to be a good artist and effective artist you need to not only get better at crafting your work, but also get better at brainstorming and curating your own ideas.

This time of thinking and absorbing new and current interests is most valuable to my practice.

Where, how do you get inspired?

I get inspired a lot when I travel. In the summer of 2019, I spent two months in Mexico City at an amazing artist residency called Casa Lu, this experience was super influential and informative to my practice.

A new area really puts you under the gun to come up with fresh ideas and take new approaches.

Especially a massive city like CDMX. It has so much art and architecture to offer. It is constant stimulation.

I usually get inspired after I browse through retail stores. I try to go into a primitive mind state to help navigate which textures, patterns, forms, packaging, etc. that I am attracted to.

“Why would I endorse the hibachi grill when I am the hibachi grill” -Gilbert Arenas

I get inspired anytime I see cool new art in person, artists who are pushing the boundaries of material and content.

I am always taking inspiration from my favorite artists as well. Charlene Von Heyl, Jessica Stockholder, Mark Bradford, Theaster Gates, Virgil Abloh, Jeremy Scott (Moschino), Holt Quentel, Piotr Lakomy, Kevin Beasley, Tomashi Jackson, Raul de Nieves are some names of people that inspire me.

Noah Kashiani condensed CV/Bio

Noah Kashiani (b.1992 Cleveland, Ohio) lives in Chicago Illinois after recently receiving his MFA from Northern Illinois University (2019).

Kashiani's work carefully balances harmony and discord. Nods to late capitalism are often represented which explore the idea of exclusivity, value, and the translucent validation that comes with material items.

Recent exhibitions include Parlor and Ramp (Chicago), The Front (New Orleans), Gluon Gallery (Milwaukee), Casa Lu (Mexico City), Arc Gallery (Chicago) Pentimenti Gallery (Philadelphia).

Some of my newest projects have been in the direction of functional sculpture.

I recently made a chair, and a candlestick before that. Most recently, the objects begin by manipulating clothing/accessories into sculptural forms and coating them with microfibers, which makes the object look as if it is made completely of felt, or in some instances velvet.

I am continuing to explore how far I can push the work in terms of form, line, and texture.

Slowly but surely introducing new simple patterns. Currently I am working on exploring the negative space around new freestanding forms that I am creating.

In addition to focusing on using the space around work, I plan to implement nostalgic patterns and color schemes to charge these soft chaotic forms.

Things like the loose leaf paper, guess clothing colors, looney toons, the plaid pattern, are all things I am thinking about.

Its only working if it burns | 2020 | Up-cycled Belts, Nylon Fibers and Chain on Panel | 33 cm x 33 cm x 8 cm | Side view

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Education:

BA University of Mount Union 2015

MFA Northern Illinois University 2019

Recent Exhibitions:

Collective Consciousness, The Front, New Orleans, Louisiana 2020 20/20 Parlour and Ramp, Chicago, Illinois 2020

Snow and Ice, Gluon Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2020 Excesivamente Sospechoso, Casa Lu, Mexico City, Mexico 2019

Upcoming Exhibitions:

Evanston and Vicinity Biennial

January 16-Febraury 14, 2021, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, Illinois

Two Person Exhibition

Presenting Noah Kashiani and Benedict Scheuer.

March 12- April 3, 2021 Roy G Biv Gallery, Columbus, Ohio

Solo Exhibition

October 1- Nov 20, 2021, 934 Gallery, Columbus, Ohio

Additional information on Noah Kashiani:

Links:

Follow the artist on Instagram:

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All Photo credits:

@Noah Kashiani

Keywords:

#noahkashiani #upcycled #sculpture #fashion #contemporaryart #chicago
#color #pattern #design #color #pattern #design

We really enjoyed connecting with the wonderful and gifted artist Noah Kashiani, and we say a big thank you for sharing with us!