The Art Newspaper has published extensive coverage of Art Basel Miami Beach, including a feature by Philippa Kelly highlighting curator Amy Smith-Stewart’s selections of standout works by emerging and lesser-known artists. Among the seven works chosen, Roksana Pirouzmand’s The Past Seeps Through the Present (2022) was the first to be featured. Presented at the fair by Dastan Gallery, Pirouzmand’s powerful installation reflects themes of intergenerational trauma and resilience.
Pirouzmand’s work comprises clay casts of the bodies of two women from different generations: her mother and grandmother. Created in her native Iran before her departure to study in the United States, the piece resonates with the artist’s personal experience and the broader implications of migration, memory, and cultural loss. Speaking about the work, Smith-Stewart describes it as "about the transmission of trauma over time," underscoring its emotional and symbolic depth.
All the works in this section of the fair were created by women and address issues impacting women worldwide.
From the Article
“Roksana Pirouzmand, The Past Seeps Through the Present (2022), Dastan
This piece features clay casts of the bodies of the artist’s mother and grandmother. They were made in her native Iran, before the artist left to study in the US in full knowledge that she might not be able to return. ‘This clay actually has water in it, and the water is slowly dropping and leaving an impression or wound on her mother’s body,’ Smith-Stewart says. ‘It’s about the transmission of trauma over time.’”
About Amy Smith-Stewart
Amy Smith-Stewart, the chief curator at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum—one of the oldest institutions dedicated to contemporary art in the United States—has long focused on amplifying marginalized voices in the art world. Previously serving as a curator at MoMA PS1 and as a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts and Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York, Smith-Stewart’s practice emphasizes feminist approaches and the promotion of emerging artists. She is particularly known for organizing first solo museum exhibitions for artists who are often overlooked, aligning with her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity in contemporary art.
