We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Termeh Behbahani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Termeh below.

Alright, Termeh thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In February of 2023, I was walking down Divisadero st in San Francisco with my partner when I noticed a 40ft long wall on the corner of Hayes st by the store RareDevice. I knew I had finally found the wall I had been searching for!

In September 2022 the “Woman Life Freedom” revolution in Iran started, the first ever women led revolution. I was visiting my family at the time and its needless to say that the experience had a profound impact on me. During my last two weeks in Iran I didn’t have access to internet. The government had shut down the internet as a control tactic and to stop the world from learning about the countless violations of human rights they were committing. When I returned back to San Francisco I was shocked to learn of the lack of coverage and overall information there was about what was happening in Iran. I knew I had to do something.

With the help and support of everyone at RareDevice I started painting the “Free Iran” mural in May of 2023. My goal was to spread awareness about the revolution. I made the message accessible and simple with three large texts painted onto the Iranian flag. The texts read “Free Iran”, “Woman Life Freedom” and “Zan Zendegi Azadi” in Farsi. I had many conversation with people walking by with questioning and eager eyes. I simply wanted to create a visual for anyone walking by to stop and wonder “why Iran? What’s happening in Iran?”

This project was entirely crowd funded and made possible by the immense support of everyone around me. I am grateful to be able to use my skills as an artist and muralist to be the voice of Iranian people around the world. I hope that the next time someone walks by the mural, they remember the phrase “Woman Life Freedom”.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an Iranian fine artist and muralist located in San Francisco, CA. I was born in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States in 2011 with a mechanical Engineering major. It took less than a year for me to realize that I was in the wrong major. After one painting class I quickly changed my major to painting and transferred to the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

Since graduating from CCA in 2016 I have continued to grow as an artist. Dedicating energy and time into my craft and understanding that dedication, is indeed, one of the most important aspects of being an artist. Knowing when to

In 2020 I ventured into murals. I had always envisioned my art on walls and I was grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the process and business of being a muralist. Working closely with Darin Balaban, who taught me everything about the world of murals, I learnt that troubleshooting is key with any art practice. I believe being an artist is about knowing how to troubleshoot. Wether it’s a personal project in your studio or a commercial project for a client, the artist needs to be open to whatever challenges they have or haven’t prepared for.

I offer site specific murals, painting and digital art work all around the bay area. As an Iranian woman I like to believe that I bring my resilience to every project. I work hard to make sure I am respectful of my clients vision while staying true to my own personal aesthetic.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I believe it is important to understand the time consuming process of creating any art work. From prepping for a mural to creating a painting in one’s own studio, artists spend countless hours going over every detail about their projects. The act of physically painting is the last/most visible part of the process. If we, as a society show support and respect for each artist process, then we can create a healthier environment for artists to grow and exist in. This can translate to properly compensating an artist for their time an energy as well. The better we understand how much time and energy goes into creating a single piece of art the better we can support artist and perhaps more artists would be able to support themselves solely from their artistic practice.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I feel honored to be an artist when I see someone react to my art with a question. Whether it be a philosophical, theoretical or simply technical question. I like knowing that by creating art and by creating something new I help people think about, something new. I help them think outside of what they would normally think about. To me, that is the most rewarding aspect of being an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.termehb.com
• Instagram: @termehb.art