Born in Iran, Afruz Amighi originally set out to study architecture. “The aesthetics of Persian design are assimilated into my sensibility,” Amighi says.

“We are a country of civil war, and from the eternal divide, the ever present rift, lifting their heads and making themselves known, faces emerge,” says the Iranian-American artist.

Step inside Afruz Amighi’s Brooklyn studio and one will behold many shadows on the wall. Like the gentle light that emanates from a flickering candle, the shadows are but mirrors of the artist’s architectural installations.

Light, reflections and shadows are key elements in the work of Afruz Amighi.

Anna Wallace-Thompson sits down with Iranian-born New York-based Afruz Amighi during her first exhibition in Dubai, and discusses the inaugural Jameel Prize winner’s views on shadows, identity and the dichotomy of absence and presence.

Iranian artist Afruz Amighi’s shadow play and metal artworks are inspired by Islamic tradition and make sociopolitical comments while expressing personal angst.

Al Quoz’s galleries are showcasing the work of two pioneering yet refreshingly gracious Iranian artists.

A new international award for contemporary artists and designers inspired by Islamic traditions, and hosted by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, has been awarded to the Iranian-born artist Afruz Amighi.

Afruz Amighi has been chosen as the winner of the Jameel international art prize, touted as the Islamic art world's equivalent to the Turner prize, for her painting 1001 Pages.