AAZAM IRILIAN

ARTIST BIO

Aazam Irilian is a Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary artist who bridges art and science to reveal the complexity and beauty of the natural world. Her innovative approach creates captivating textures and effects that add depth and intrigue to her work.

Originally from Iran, Irilian completed a Master of Art in Studio Art at California State University Northridge and was an art educator for over 30 years.

A Kipaipai Fellow since 2020, Irilian has been a three-time grant recipient of The Quick Grant from the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI). She has been awarded residencies from the Dorland Foundation, ShoeboxLA, and The Chateau d'Orquevaux in France.

Her works have been exhibited nationally and are held in numerous private collections worldwide—spanning Iran, France, and across the United States. Recent solo exhibitions include "Preserved Memories" at Gallery 825 in Santa Monica (2024), "Stillness In Chaos" at The PCPA in San Diego (2024), and "Beyond the Veil: Luminous Realms" at Antelope Valley College ArtGallery, Lancaster. Notable group exhibitions include the Kipaipai Group Exhibition at Melissa Morgan Gallery, Palm Desert (2022), Artist Alliance Biennial at Oceanside Museum (2022), and "A Century of California Women Artists" at Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale (2022).

Her accolades include Third Place at "The Art of the Square" at bG Gallery, Los Angeles (2020), Best of Show at JF Gallery, Miami (2017), and staff's favorite at the 31st Annual "Made in California" at Brea City Art Gallery (2016).

Irilian's work has been featured in various publications, including A Century of CA Women Artists (2021), Voyage LA, Art & Beyond Magazine (2020), and Fusionart: Creative Expression Through the Heart (2012).


ARTIST STATEMENT

I explore the intersection of nature, memory, and unseen forces that shape our reality. Through painting and mixed media, I examine the interplay of color, light, and texture, using fluid layers and transparencies to evoke depth, movement, and space. The mystical aspect of my Iranian heritage deeply informs my practice, especially the understanding of light as divine presence and the veil as a threshold between visible and invisible worlds. This cultural lineage, combined with influences from artists like Helen Frankenthaler, Agnes Pelton, and Georgia O'Keeffe, drives me to give form to the intangible. I create layered, translucent compositions that suggest multiple realities existing simultaneously, where what is hidden and what is revealed exist in constant, beautiful dialogue. My process embraces spontaneity and surrender, allowing materials to move organically and reveal unexpected connections. Each piece emerges through intuitive mark-making and the accumulation of translucent layers, mirroring the unpredictability of life. Natural forces and chance participate in the creation, honoring the belief that beauty often arises when we release rigid control. My work invites viewers to pause and reflect on what lies beyond the visible, to enter into the vastness of the natural world and the mysteries that connect us to it and to each other.