Panteha Abareshi, a 26-year-old Canadian-born artist based in Tucson, creates performances, videos, sculptures, and installations that explore their experience as a disabled and chronically ill person. Their work often tackles taboo subjects, such as a recent solo exhibition at Human Resources in Los Angeles that screened pornography and sparked discussion about the representation of disabled bodies in fetish materials. A key piece, "CAREGIVING," features a silicone hand with a finger pulled back by a string nailed into its own wrist, symbolizing the violent balance in medical care and caregiving.
This profile matters because it highlights a rising young artist whose work challenges conventional boundaries around disability, the body, and medical systems. Abareshi's inclusion in CULTURED's 2025 Young Artists list signals a growing recognition of artists who address marginalized experiences and push against societal taboos. Their emphasis on rest and self-care as integral to their practice also offers a vital counter-narrative to the art world's often relentless productivity demands.