Samar Hejazi

Toronto, ON

Samar Hejazi, Coiled, 2019. Cotton thread, cotton fabric and resin, 15.24 x 31.75 x 3 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

Studio: How would you describe your approach to your medium? What made you choose it?

Samar Hejazi: I work with embroidery because of its significance in traditional culture. Distorting the motifs is my way of negotiating alternative ways for them to exist. My process starts by instinctively choosing the motif I want to work with, I embroider it, take it apart and put it back together. My decisions are made intuitively while trying to stay playful and rebellious. I like to challenge the material by exploring different ways it can behave, the end goal is to make the motif feel “whole” again while telling a different story.

Samar Hejazi, The Intricacies of Wholeness, 2019. Cotton thread, 210 x 86.5 cm. Courtesy of the plumb gallery.

S: How would you describe yourself, personally and professionally?

SH: I’m very experimental and curious, I enjoy learning new techniques and materials and then doing things differently just to see what happens. I find myself questioning how I can make something look like something else or how I can make it behave in a way that is counter intuitive. I’m always looking for the unexpected, that’s where the excitement of art making lies for me.

Samar Hejazi, Cyprus, 2021. Cotton thread and fabric, 43 x 14 x 10 cm. Photo: Jessica Thalmann. Courtesy of the artist.

S: What inspires you?

SH: I’m inspired by how cultural, societal and traditional narratives are internalized and projected onto the human experience. I am also inspired by Islamic art and architecture, the idea of infinite possibilities of perceptions as well as various Sufi concepts on the human experience of reality.

Samar Hejazi, Little Blue Two, 2020. Cotton thread, cotton fabric, natural pigments, wool and resin. 20 x 15 x 4 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

S: What do you see as your contribution to the field of your craft?

SH: Traditional craft is rooted in the past, my aim is to move it to the ever changing present and to inspire others to do the same. Craft is an evolving art form and I hope my work encourages that evolution.

S: What wisdom do you want to impart to younger makers?

SH: Challenge yourselves, stay curious, take risks and keep learning, you never know when the knowledge of one practice can inspire another. It’s important to stay excited about what you’re doing, that energy translates into the work.

Samar Hejazi
w: samarhejazi.com/
ig: @samarhejazi
f: @Samar Hejazi

This article was published in the Spring/Summer 2023 issue of Studio Magazine.