Roksana Pirouzmand’s dual-site exhibition in Los Angeles, hosted at OXY ARTS and JOAN, features performance-based sculptures and installations that utilize literal erosion to explore themes of loss and displacement. The works include anatomical clay casts of the artist and her mother, which are subjected to water, vibration, and physical interaction, causing them to crack and deteriorate over the course of the show. At OXY ARTS, a kinetic metal floor involves the viewer directly, as their footsteps cause clay hands to collide and break, illustrating the physical impact of movement and presence.
This exhibition highlights Pirouzmand’s unique approach to the diasporic experience, specifically her background as a Zoroastrian refugee from Iran. By using materials that physically fail or transform—such as rusting steel and crumbling clay—she creates a visceral metaphor for the fragility of memory, generational bonds, and cultural identity. The project underscores the growing prominence of Iranian-American artists in the contemporary Los Angeles art scene who are using experimental sculpture to address complex geopolitical and personal histories.