The James Kaneko Gallery’s newest digital art exhibit, “Shadieh Mirmobiny: a Retrospective,” allows viewers a glimpse into the depth of an artist’s work through the process of Mirmobiny’s development. Spanning over the course of 43 years and ranging in mediums from oil on canvas to ink on paper, this exhibit encompasses the growth of an artist in one of the most captivating ways imaginable.

Shadieh Mirmobiny is an artist with several curated exhibitions to her name; she received her M.A. in Art History from UC Davis in 2000, with a focus on European Renaissance and Baroque.

The solo exhibit features examples of oil and watercolor paintings, ink and pen drawings, and porcelain sculptures influenced by her studies of late renaissance and baroque artists to her more recent abstract drawings.

She currently lectures art history and humanities at Sierra College, Folsom Lake College, and American River College, as well as occasionally lecturing at California State University in Sacramento. In addition to being an art historian, she had also received her Ph.D. in philosophy and critical theory in art in 2018, from the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. 

Mirmobiny explains her philosophy on art in her exhibit’s statement.

“Art without philosophy for me is like life without reason,” Mirmobiny said. “We are hardwired to seek why things happen, how they may influence us, and how we can prepare ourselves for what may be arriving soon. I believe art reflects and shapes our world; it reflects our ambitions while it helps us make sense of the world.”

Patricia Wood, art professor and director of the Kaneko Gallery, said the reason behind hosting Mirmobiny’s exhibition is she wanted to see more of her art pieces.

“When I first encountered her pieces, I was surprised since I didn’t know she was an artist but only knew her as an art historian. I was fascinated by her pen work and abstractions,” Wood said.

Mirmobiny explained what she would like the audience to take away from her first solo exhibition. 

“It is about reflecting on decades of teaching and making art, as well as experimenting with different mediums,” Mirmobiny said.

“Shadieh Mirmobiny: A Retrospective” will run in the Kaneko Gallery digital exhibition until the end of the spring 2021 semester.