Bahman Razani

About the artist:

Bahman Razani (b. 1981, Khorramabad, Iran) is a painter, drawing, sculptor, and performance artist based in Chicago. He works with materials such as ice, paper, wood, and plaster to explore memory, resilience, and transformation. His works are political and are often critiques of the current Islamic Republic Regime in Iran. He often works to memorialize those who have been murdered at the hands of the regime. His performance and interactive ice sculpture of Khodanour was performed in front of the Art Institute of Chicago in December 2022 and was featured on BBC Persian News, reaching three million views within three days. He is currently a BFA candidate at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is expected to graduate in May 2026.

Art Performances

The Justice Seeking Families, Chicago, IL | 2025

Justice-Seeking Families is a performance created in honor of the parents in Iran who have turned mourning into a form of resistance. It is rooted in collective memory and political grief, transforming personal loss into a shared act of endurance.

I sculpted a plaster figure of a grieving mother and carried a red ice infant in my arms across several miles before placing it in her embrace. As the ice melted, red water flowed through her hands, evoking both blood and love, both absence and persistence. This slow transformation reflected the passage of time and the emotional weight carried by those who continue to seek justice in a system built on silence.

Through this work, I wanted to create a space where the body, material, and memory could speak together. It reflects how resistance is sustained through love, how grief becomes testimony, and how even when there is silence, the human spirit insists on being seen.

Khodanour's Ice Statue, Chicago, IL | 2022

Khodanour’s Ice Statue was created in memory of Khodanour Lajaei, whose image chained to a pole became one of the most haunting symbols of state violence in Iran. The idea of an ice statue came to me as a way to capture both the fragility of life and the persistence of memory. I chose red to represent blood and used ice to let the audience witness its gradual melting, turning the act of disappearance into a visible process of mourning. The melting water symbolized not only Khodanour’s suffering but also the lives of hundreds of Iranians lost during the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising.

This work was created in collaboration with Nate Johnson, who sculpted the ice figure, and a nonprofit organization in Chicago. The performance took place in two parts. In the first, passersby encountered the statue in person and scanned a QR code that led them to Khodanour’s story and the broader events in Iran. These direct interactions allowed me to share his story face to face and invite reflection on the human cost of resistance. The second part extended the work beyond its physical setting through a video shared online, transforming public space into digital space, and keeping the act of remembrance alive for a global audience.

Kian's Portrait, Chicago, IL | 2023

Kian Pirfalak (image on the left) was a nine-year-old Iranian child who was shot and killed by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran on November 16, 2022. After his tragic death, a video of Kian testing his handmade boat and starting his video with “In the name of the God of rainbows” went viral.

I recreated Kian's portrait using 1000 handmade colorful paper boats for his birthday. The portrait was crafted on a 150 by 180-inch fabric. This project had two aspects. First, it involved the recreation of his portrait with the participation of both kids and adults, fostering community unity and healing throughout the process. Second, it encompassed a video that narrated a story of loss, love, and empathy. The video featured the voices of little children and adults wishing Kian a happy birthday in different languages and dialogues in Farsi and English, showcasing the step-by-step process of creating the piece. It concluded with a bird's-eye view of the finished artwork. I planned every element to serve a purpose in the video.

This was an art performance in collaboration with a Chicago-based nonprofit organization.

Navid's Portrait, Chicago, IL | 2023

Navid Afkari born on July, 26, 1993, was an Iranian wrestler. Afkari was an accomplished wrestler and had won several medals in national competitions. In 2018, he participated in protests against the Iranian government, which led to his arrest. He was charged with multiple offenses, including the alleged murder of a security officer during the protests. Human rights organizations, as well as activists, called for his release, arguing that he was tortured to confess. Despite international pleas for clemency, Navid Afkari was executed on September 12, 2020, in Shiraz, Iran. His case drew attention to human rights issues in Iran and sparked condemnation from various entities worldwide. Before his execution, Navid Afkari sent an audio message from prison describing the injustice he faced during his sham trial.

This video shows the process of painting Navid Afkari's portrait on a canvas mounted on the wall, using acrylic paint. Throughout the painting process, Navid Afkari's final audio message is played, adding a poignant and emotional element to the video. I collaborated with a musician and composer based in Australia, and together we curated the visual and audio elements, enhancing the overall impact of this poignant tribute. This work was done in collaboration with a Chicago-based nonprofit organization.