Ara Aman

My artistic practice is sacred and spiritual, a way in which I deeply understand, intentionally engage, and come to terms with the world I inhabit. It is a way of life, one which does not begin or end with the process of making or creating, it is continual, leading to deep, meaningful, intentional and new ways to be a part of this world, on terms that I design for myself. The work I create is out of a laborious process which in itself brings to me realizations like no other, grounded in the slow process of intentional making (and remaking) of worlds–both mentally, emotionally, and physically–I see myself connected to a multitude of histories, realizations, thoughts, feelings, and engagements. Photography is the medium which is an extension of my mind, a confluence of thought, a relationship with complicated histories, a way in which theory is embodied: a means to recontextualize, heal, process, ground, and meditate. I am at a moment in my life where I am deepening my artistic practice, exploring the intersections of theoretical and conceptual realms of image making with my own work; furthering my engagement with its complicated, racist, and oppressive history with a dedication to shift the canon and contribute to a new realm of the photographic medium.

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