About me
Afra Khakzad is a visual artist with an academic background in philosophy of art, art research, and graphic design. Her paintings explore themes of identity, time, and transformation, often drawing inspiration from memory, symbolism, and cultural echoes. Through layered compositions and storytelling, she invites the viewer into poetic and introspective spaces.
She has held a solo exhibition and participated in various group exhibitions and art fairs in Iran, Turkey, Italy, the United States, and Canada.
For inquiries: khakzadafraa@gmail.com
Acrylic on canvas
Title: Horses of Imagination
Dimensions: 141 x 129 cm
Short Description: This artwork explores the realm of imagination and thought through the symbolism of horses, embodying freedom beyond the physical world.
Title: Whispers of Light
Dimensions: 50 x 70 cm
Short Description: Blending Persian calligraphy with floral motifs, this piece reflects a quiet sense of inner peace and spiritual light, inviting stillness and reflection.
Vibrant pieces made with acrylic paints, exploring color and texture.
Oil on canvas
Title: The Spiral of Time
Dimensions: 100 x 100 cm
Short Description: This artwork explores the intersection of tradition and modernity, using symbolic elements like spiral-faced figures, sacred motifs, and Persian architecture to reflect on the passage of time and cultural identity.
Available through the Federation Gallery - sales@artists.ca
Title: Tomorrow, Maybe
Dimensions: 100 x 150 cm
Short Description: Tomorrow, Maybe explores the quiet tension between exhaustion and hope. Set in an abstract natural space, the figures reflect an inner world where time feels suspended and possibilities remain open.
Title: Veil of Silence
Dimensions: 100 x 120 cm
Short Description: This piece explores the quiet struggles and unseen voices of women beneath layers of imposed silence. The intertwining of Persian motifs and calligraphy with harsh headlines reflects the tension between cultural beauty and societal constraints.
Title: Beyond the Frame
Dimensions: 100 x 150 cm
Short Description: This artwork juxtaposes modern expressions of femininity with the delicate backdrop of Persian miniature. The bold presence of the three women—playful, unapologetic, and free—challenges the boundaries of tradition, suggesting a world where identity is not confined by inherited frames.
Title: She, Submerged
Dimensions: 100 x 150 cm
Short Description: This piece portrays a fragmented female figure, partially immersed in a tranquil water landscape. The composition suggests a quiet surrender—where identity, memory, and emotion blur beneath the surface, inviting the viewer to look deeper into what remains unseen.
Title: Split Within One
Dimensions: 90 x 90 cm
Short Description: A visual meditation on identity, where two figures emerge from one form—blurring the lines between self and other, tradition and change.
Title: Guardians of Time
Dimensions: 100 x 100 cm
Short Description: This painting shows three women caught between time and existence. One carries a golden bird symbolizing wisdom and freedom. The Persian floral background links them to their cultural roots. They live in a space between past and future — lost yet strong, holding pieces of time within themselves.
Title: Between Laughter and Silence
Dimensions: 90 x 90 cm
Short Description: This artwork explores the delicate balance between outward joy and hidden sorrow, reflecting the tension between tradition and modernity. It captures moments where laughter masks deeper silences, revealing the complexity of human emotions in a changing world.
Title: The Play We Never Chose
Dimensions: 90 x 90 cm
Short Description: A satirical glimpse into performance and identity — where two women, adorned in playful excess, embody the tension between authenticity and social roles. The theatrical curtain behind them hints at the scripted nature of their presence, caught somewhere between spectacle and self.
Title: Sleeping Heritage
Dimensions: 20 x 20 cm
Short Description: A quiet homage to forgotten beauty — where rich cultural symbols lie dormant beneath layers of modern expression. This painting evokes a sense of pause and stillness, inviting the viewer to reflect on the delicate presence of a heritage that sleeps, yet never truly fades.
Title: Legacy Within
Dimensions: 20 x 20 cm
Short Description: This painting reflects the invisible threads of cultural memory woven into the self. Through gesture, pattern, and presence, it captures how identity is shaped by unseen legacies — not worn, but carried deep within.
Title: Whispers of Heritage
Dimensions: 20 x 20 cm
Short Description: An exploration blending calligraphic elegance with ancient symbols, this painting echoes the forgotten voices rooted deep in culture and history.
A selection of my artworks created using traditional oil paint techniques.
Eggs, Birds, and Mirrors
A detailed acrylic series exploring eggs, birds, and reflective surfaces.
