The flowers I have never sent

SNAP is pleased to present The flowers I have never sent, featuring new work by Melika Forouzan. The exhibition runs from May 4 – June 8, 2024 at SNAP Gallery.

” This series shares the emotions of immigration and disconnection during tough times. The internet blackout in my home country kept my messages from reaching loved ones. Living between worlds, the dead flowers signify delayed love. Each bloom represents unspoken moments in my family’s life. Messages on prints echo my struggle to express feelings in that difficult time ” – Melika Forouzan

Opening Reception: Saturday May 4, 7pm-9pm

Artist Talk (In Gallery): Saturday May 4, 6pm-7pm prior to opening reception

Artist Statement

This series tells a tale of love, longing, and the fragility of connections through the medium of flowers, which bear witness to the unspoken ache of separation. This exhibition tells the story of immigration, narrating an existence stuck in the in-between of distant worlds. It emerges from the soil of social and political hurdles in Iran. The internet was cut, leaving my messages to loved ones as faint echoes in the digital void, shrouding them in the silence of unspoken words. I became a silent messenger, inscribing messages of joy and celebration for others, while my own greetings to loved ones remained trapped, unable to traverse the vast distance that separated us.

The dead flowers, with their faded petals, carry whispers of delayed appreciation and postponed gratitude. Each bloom signifies an unspoken moment, a missed connection during the gatherings and occasions that knit the fabric of my family and friends’ lives. In the flower shop, I ponder the unfulfilled destiny of each flower, aware that it belongs to someone, yet unable to bridge the gap caused by distance or absence.

Words printed on plexiglass mirror the repetitive attempts to connect with family and friends through my cellphone’s screen. They stand as monuments to yearning, reflecting the repetitive attempts to connect—a visual rhythm of longing, a plea for acknowledgment in the void. The contrast between the lifeless flowers and the vibrant messages mirrors the paradox of my existence during that challenging time. Unable to bridge the emotional gap with those I held dear, I found comfort in the quiet dialogue of petals and prose. This is a personal journey through the delicate tapestry of immigration, displacement, and the fragility of connections.

About the Artist

Melika Forouzan is a visual artist hailing from Tehran, Iran, now based in Calgary, Canada. She graduated in the bachelor of Fine arts and Master of Arts in photography from the University of Tehran, Iran. She took her second Master in Fine Arts from the University of Calgary. Over the years her focus shifted from photography to painting and printmaking. She explores place attachment, memory, connection and disconnection to people and places in her works. Her art pieces have been presented in exhibitions in Iran, Britain and Canada. She has also published some articles in the field of family photography and collective memory in different Iranian Art Journals.