College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Term of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Art

Committee Chair

Jeff Garland

Committee Member 1

Jason Hoelscher

Committee Member 2

Elsie Howington

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores how memory shapes identity through material, reflection, and tactile processes. Drawing from my personal experience of migration from Iran and the emotional distance from home, the work examines memory as a shifting, layered, and embodied phenomenon rather than a fixed narrative. Through the use of mirror, clay, fabric, and paint, I investigate how materials can hold, reflect, and transform lived experience. Each material carries specific meaning: mirrors introduce fragmentation and reflection, clay records touch and grounding, fabric evokes softness and domestic memory, and paint creates atmosphere through layering and tone. Together, these materials form a visual language that mirrors the instability and reconstruction of identity shaped by displacement and cultural transition.

The act of making functions as a method of revisiting and reconfiguring experience, allowing memory to be physically embedded within surface, texture, and form. Through processes of cutting, layering, stitching, and assembling, the work reflects the way memory collects, fractures, and reforms over time. Identity is explored as both fragmented and whole, shaped by movement between cultures and the tension between past and present. By incorporating reflection and viewer presence, the work invites participation and self-recognition, creating a shared space where personal memory intersects with collective experience. Ultimately, this thesis argues that material can function as a carrier of memory and that artistic practice offers a way to navigate the ongoing process of remembering and becoming.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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