April 10, 2019
Mehrdad Sedaghat is an artist, designer and master of fine arts candidate in the College of Arts and Letters. As the culmination of a three-year program through the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, he and other MFS candidates have their work displayed at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum now through May 5. His work is influenced by his personal perspective as a recent immigrant to the United States who moved here from Iran to pursue his degree.
My research activities work at the intersection of design, society, and technology. Though science and technology are growing at a great speed, my work critically and creatively recognizes that such advances are futile if they are not at the service of humankind or have regard for cultural and artistic values
This living and making in between two different cultures, coupled with my interest in the intersections between art, design, and technology, has led to my discovery of a new hybrid-like sensibility and laid the foundation of my future artistic identity.
From the small amount of time that I have lived and studied in the United States, I’ve learned that despite these political and cultural conflicts between the two countries, people are inevitably close to each other as human beings and are similar in their fundamental desires. For me, these observations go beyond the political relations between Iran and the United States and have deeply shaped my views as an educator, designer and artist.
As an educator, my experience of cooperation and dealing with individuals from diverse cultures, orientations and races, including African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, Whites, Middle Eastern and LGBT students has taught me that human interactions, especially when differences and diversities are present and prominent, create a unique opportunity for discourse. A discourse that values differences and diversities makes the world a better place to live.
Learn more about the exhibition and the other MFA candidates