Mosaic of Being by Leila Zolfalipour
SITE #1:
Sir Winston Churchill Square
Leila Zolfalipour
Mosaic of Being
Mosaic of Being brings together paintings and sculptural works that weave Persian cultural motifs with the natural materials of Alberta’s landscape. Persian carpets appear as vessels of memory and cultural continuity, while carved wood gathered from lakes and forests ground the work in place. The installation invites viewers to reflect on identity, belonging, and the evolving relationship between heritage and land.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“My work explores cultural identity, memory, and the evolving relationship between culture and land. Born in Iran and now living in Edmonton, I weave together Persian cultural motifs and Canadian landscapes to reflect the layered experience of migration, an existence rooted in history yet continually shaped by new ground.”
Persian carpets appear throughout my work, not simply as decorative textiles but as living archives. They carry the unseen voices of the women who wove them, artists, storytellers, and labourers’ whose names often remain unspoken. In my paintings and sculptural works, I reimagine carpets as vessels of memory, resilience, and lineage. They unravel, wrap around figures, or extend into landscapes, transforming domestic objects into symbols of cultural inheritance carried across generations.
Nature forms another thread in my practice. I collect fallen wood from lakes and forests across Alberta, carving and engraving it with abstract forms inspired by Persian calligraphy. These materials bridge past and present, connecting my Iranian heritage with the Canadian environment that now shapes my daily life and artistic practice.
Through painting, drawing, and sculpture, I create spaces where memory and place coexist. My work reflects on how identity evolves through movement, environment, and time, offering a meditation on belonging and the quiet endurance of cultural continuity
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Leila Zolfalipour is an Edmonton-based visual artist born in Iran. Her practice explores identity, multiculturalism, and the relationship between cultural heritage and the natural world. Through painting, sculpture, and digital media, she reinterprets Persian motifs and weaving traditions, bringing attention to the often-unrecognized women who historically created intricate Persian carpets.
Leila holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with distinction from the University of Alberta (2024) and is a Juried Member of the Alberta Society of Artists. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her paintings often place Persian textile patterns within Canadian landscapes, while her sculptural works incorporate natural materials such as locally sourced wood and clay. Through these combinations, she explores the evolving relationship between heritage, land, and belonging.
She is the recipient of several awards, including an Edmonton Arts Council Individual Grant, the Elizabeth Ann Burgess Award for Contemporary Arts (2023, 2024), and the 2024 Alberta Culture Days People’s Choice Award. Her recent project, Mosaic of Being was supported by the Edmonton Arts Council and presented as a solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of St. Albert.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leilazolfalipour.art/
Website: https://leilazolfalipour.com/