ADVOCARTSY amplifies Iranian artists far from their homeland

After an accomplished 20-year career as a litigation attorney in California, Roshi Rahnama made a dramatic career shift in 2011 and traded the courtroom for the art gallery. She put her strategic planning and creative management skills to use, dedicating her expertise to the fine arts industry.

Rahnama, a Loyola Law School graduate, was admitted to the California Bar in 1992. She served as a civil litigator with the Law Offices of Booth, Mitchel & Strange before partnering with the Law Offices of Kayhan S. Shakib. Instead of pursuing law further, Rahnama chose to channel her skills towards advocating for art. Since 2011, she has been an influential consultant for various non-profit organizations, museums, and galleries, helping them develop and realize their missions.

Her passion for art culminated in the founding of ADVOCARTSY in January 2015. A Los Angeles-based collaborative arts platform, ADVOCARTSY focuses on elevating awareness and engagement with Iranian contemporary art.

Six years after its launch, ADVOCARTSY has grown into a leading contemporary art platform specializing in Iranian art. The platform serves as an incubator for both emerging and established Iranian artists, based in Los Angeles and around the world.

Rahnama’s dedication to advocating for Iranian contemporary art led to the expansion of ADVOCARTSY in 2021, with a new exhibition space opening in West Hollywood. The move underscored ADVOCARTSY’s aim to transcend borders and connect artists of Iranian origin with arts organizations, museums, foundations, and collectors in the United States and across the globe.

Rahnama’s journey from law to art underscores the power of passion and dedication. Her commitment to the art industry has allowed her to contribute meaningfully to the growth and appreciation of Iranian contemporary art. As ADVOCARTSY continues to thrive, Rahnama’s influence is evident in its mission and success.

Rahnama and gallery sales director Hannah Eshaghian answered some of WEHOville’s questions about their work and outlook:

How has the Woman Life Freedom movement influenced Iranian artists in Iran and throughout the diaspora?

Iranians around the world have felt the complicated and often devastating effects of another revolution. There are so many emotions surrounding what’s happening with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that artists have started responding immediately through their work. There’s a certain intensity and fearlessness coming out in the work of Iranian artists right now. It’s really important for us to have a sense of community during this time, and the art being produced in this period really fosters a sense of connection, a shared anger, and still, lots of hope.

How does today’s Iranian art connect visually with historic Persian art? Which era’s styles are most prevalent in modern pieces?

Currently on view, Samira Abbassy’s show Embodied Mythologies harkens back to the stylistic elements of the Qajar era– flattened, Iconic figures that are intricately dressed and surrounded by symbolism. Other artists like Kourosh Beigpour, Pouya Afshar, and Mohammad Barrangi connect to Iranian history through ancient ideologies and visual storytelling. Then you have women artists like Mobina Nouri, Foroozan Shirghani and Delbar Shahbaz who encapsulate the complex feelings of women’s liberation upon leaving Iran and the consequences of it. They’re creating their own visual history of contemporary Iranian art.

What does a win look like for Advocartsy? Propelling an Iranian artist to wide renown?

A win for us is supporting our community and vice versa. Propelling an artist to wide renown is always an added bonus.

The Iranian community in Los Angeles is tight-knit and supportive of one another. Is that the secret of their success?

It certainly helps! Los Angeles has the largest population of Iranians outside of Iran, and in a lot of ways we’re like a big extended family connected through our displacement. In the last 50 years, Iranians have had to work tirelessly to build a community in Los Angeles, and I think we’re seeing the fruits of that labor.