We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rene Saheb a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rene, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Hi, Thank you for having me. I would like to talk about a recent project of mine, “Walking Through the Eggshells.” I showcased a small interactive installation as part of the SVA art residency program. This project is not just another artwork for me; it is a page ripped straight out of my life journal. Imagine walking into a space where the floor is entirely covered in eggshells, actual eggshells. I asked folks to walk on them—feel that crunch under their feet. Why eggshells?If you have been in Iran lately—my homeland—you would totally get it.We are all treading on eggshells, both the crunchy kind and the emotional, heart-wrenching kind.
Navigating life’s uncertainties and emotional trials is something all of us face. My fellow Iranians and I are constantly striving to find balance in this unpredictable journeyI’m here in the U.S., navigating immigration mazes, while my husband is stuck in Iran just waiting for a piece of paper, his U.S. Visa. Then, back in Iran, things are wild, especially since Mahsa (Jina) Amini’s tragic death in custody over, believe it or not, a headscarf. Protests erupted, people were arrested, even kids. Our Woman, Life, Freedom movement has really stirred the pot. Voices raised for basic rights are being silenced, and some lives are even snuffed out. I realize, it’s a hard reality to digest

But hey, it is not all doom and gloom. In my culture, eggs are a big deal, like a symbol for new beginnings. And my name, Rene, is all about renewal too. So, as much as we are all walking on broken eggshells, there is also a sprinkle of hope. People believe eggs can fend off bad vibes, and who could not use a little good fortune these days?

So, when you walk through those eggshells, you are not just interacting with art—you are stepping into a piece of me and my story. It is a mixed bag of struggle, hope, and resilience. It is like saying, “Yeah, we’re broken, but hey, we can still bring something beautiful out of it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

About me? A kid from Iran, soaked in its deep, vibrant history, yet constantly on the move, soaking up experiences from around the world. My dive into the art world kicked off back home, studying visual communication. But things really took a spin when I started delving into professional design in Malaysia. It wasn’t just about picking up skills; it was like stepping into this massive crossroads of cultures, each with its own tale to tell.

About my Art? It’s a wild mix! Ceramic sculptures, paintings, video art, etc. Each piece is like a diary entry for me. They chat about everything from the tight ropes we walk in society, especially back in Iran, to the cool, intriguing dance between different cultures. I’m all about capturing those head-spin moments we experience right here, right now. And the challenges, especially from back home, they echo loud in what I do.

My art’s like a cultural cocktail. Imagine sipping on age-old wisdom from legendary Iranian poets like Khayyam, Rumi, and Attar, but with a splash of today’s issues. It’s this heady mix of the past meeting the present. I don’t just want people to look at my art; I want them to dive deep, live the story, and go on that trip with me.

Now, don’t get me wrong, getting nods and spots in global exhibitions feels good, but that’s not the main game for me. It’s that spark in someone’s eyes, the thoughts I stir up, the feels I bring out, and the change I might inspire that really gets me going. When someone steps into my world, I genuinely hope they see beyond just the colors and shapes. It’s all about feeling those heartbeats from different corners of the world and connecting, genuinely connecting, with them.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

” My creative journey is a blend of introspection and observation, rooted in my homeland’s tales but shaped by the present. I don’t aim for a fixed destination, but cherish each discovery along the way. ”

Being an artist for me is like having this secret door to another world where I can be the real me, stepping into a space where the rules of the regular world do not apply. Just like the feeling when you are in the middle of a Marina Abramović performance, where the lines between the viewer and performer suddenly gets blurred, making you to confront aspects of yourself and humanity that you would rather keep hidden. That is what creation is like for me. It is liberating at its core. There is something god-like about it, like you are molding your own universe one brushstroke at a time.

For me, the old family tales and folklore from back home are my anchor. They are like the hometown friends who knew you when you had braces—always there, reminding you of your roots. But being in the ‘now’ is equally magnetic. Each day’s new, each emotion is raw, and all of it—every last bit—ends up splashed on my canvas. My art is like my confidant, where all my secrets spill out.

I remember this one time I was working on a piece during a particularly rough patch in my life. Art became this therapeutic escape. It felt like I was healing. And this is not just something that happen to me exclusively. I heard from many who looked at my art and found their own stories in them, and that is the extra layer of joy of doing this. When someone sees their own life in my art, it shows how much we are connected, even if we have never met each other.

Now, flash to the U.S.—new place, new faces, and a new language. Words were like slippery fish for a while, so my art had to do the talking. It is like wandering around an unknown city with just an old map and tons of curiosity. What I paint now feels like reading my diary but with new chapters set against the backdrop of city skylines and unfamiliar sunsets. It is the same me, just flavored with some newfound American experiences.

So, if you ask me what drives my art—well, it’s this never-ending journey of self-discovery while I get to know the complexities of the world around me. I am always eager for the next experience. My eyes are always alert, and my heart never stops seeking. Life is complicated, messy, beautiful, and it shapes my art in ways I could not have planned even if I tried. Life is a beautiful chaos, and it molds my art. That is why I have not made up mind on a destination, as it can distort the magic of my creative process and the beauty of my journey. So, if I should talk about a goal here, for me, it is the journey itself. That’s how I feel at the moment, maybe the upcoming years show me a different artistic path, and I’m all in for it.

So, if anyone is out there trying to navigate this complex world, I want them to know that it is okay to go true harsh turbulences in the road. I want to ask them to keep pushing and to keep evolving. If I can give them a tip, it would be to try to find their unique way of expressing themselves; not only through art, but anything that makes them lose the passing of time and find pieces of themselves they did not know ever existed.

That is the beauty of the journey. I go deep within myself and bring something to the surface. Then I express in my way for the world to see. And the magic I breathe for is that very intimate dance between the inner me and the outer world, between what is me versus everyone else.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

A lot of people think the artist’s high comes from the applause, the gallery shows, or even the sales. But for me, no, it is not like that. It is that intimate dance with creativity—the way a simple idea or even a fleeting emotion starts small in my head, and then before I know it, it is an entire universe. The real magic is in the making. Imagine setting a seed of thought in your brain and watching it transform—often into something surprising.

I have got paintings that took years to finish, and they are like old friends who have been with me through life’s ups and downs. Each brushstroke tells a part of my story, and together, they are a map of my journey to know myself better.

I love it when a metaphor clicks and I can translate my jumbled feelings into a piece of art. I remember this one time I wanted to show the struggle and resilience of people—not just from my homeland but from everywhere. So, I took these rejected bits of ceramic, stuff that people had toss away like they were worthless. I turned them into 25 piece ceramic bird sculptures, inspired by ‘The Conference of the Birds’ by one of the greatest Iranian poets Farid Ud-Din Attar, a story about birds on a journey of discovery.

The birds in my work, though, are not the heroes of the story, they are the ones who did not make it. They are flawed and broken, just like the pottery they came from. But in their failure, there is a different kind of success, a humble beauty. I mean, isn’t that life? We set out with big dreams, we face setbacks, but we also find new meanings in the journey.

In my experience, the pinnacle of artistic creation is somewhat like magic, breathing life into the overlooked and sharing those wonders. Those sudden realizations, when the storytelling feels just perfect, make all the struggles meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.renesaheb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renesaheb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rene.saheb/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rene-saheb-267a3848/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReneSaheb
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user12787085

Image Credits
Al Svoboda , Mohammadreza Mousavi.