Ala Ebtekar

Ala Ebtekar’s drawings, prints, and installations explore contrasts and similarities between traditional Iranian and contemporary hip–hop cultures. The artist describes his work as “a visual glimpse of a crossroad where present day events meet history and mythology.” As a young teenager he joined the seminal group K.O.S. (Kids of Survival), working with artist Tim Rollins on collaborative artworks involving groups of urban youth. Growing up in the Bay Area with activist Iranian parents in exile, he developed a unique identity, leading to works like the 2004 installation Elemental, a model Iranian coffeehouse that also contains boomboxes, sneakers, and other hip–hop paraphernalia.

His work has been exhibited internationally and throughout the United States at institutions such as the Asia Society in New York, the Orange County Museum of Art in California, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas, and the ZKM–Museum for Contemporary Art in Germany.

Courtesy of Charlie James Gallery