The Armory Show 2025

SARAI Gallery is pleased to return to The Armory Show for the fifth time with a dual presentation featuring Orkideh Torabi (b. 1979) and Morteza Khakshoor (b. 1984). The works will be on view at booth P46 in the Presents Section from September 5-7, 2025, with a VIP Preview on September 4.

Through their distinct approaches, Torabi and Khakshoor examine masculinity from female and male perspectives, offering a multifaceted examination of gender, identity, and societal expectations through cultural critique, personal insight, and artistic innovation.

Orkideh Torabi reimagines masculinity through a female lens, using humor and satire to subvert traditional norms. Her works blend Persian miniature painting with contemporary styles, employing a unique technique involving painting with fabric dyes on cotton. By merging historical references with modern sensibilities, Torabi challenges patriarchal structures and invites reflection on cultural identity and the complexities of gender roles.

Morteza Khakshoor, in contrast, examines masculinity from a male perspective, delving into its internal struggles and vulnerabilities. His psychologically charged male figures, influenced by early Renaissance masters and Cubism, confront societal expectations of strength and stoicism. Khakshoor's compositions are visually striking and conceptually complex, offering profound insight into the fragmented and often contradictory nature of male identity.

Together, the works encourage audiences to reconsider traditional notions of masculinity, challenge societal norms, and reflect on the complexities of gender and identity in contemporary culture.