Elnaz Rafati
Elnaz Rafati
UIC M.Arch Graduate MURAAtelier.us elnzrft@gmail.com
About I am an Iranian architect and artist living in NYC. After receiving my architectural engineering degree in Tehran, I moved to Chicago where I received an M.Arch from the UIC School of Architecture. Upon graduation in 2017, I took a job at Studio Joseph and a year later in 2018 I started working at Bjarke Ingels Group where I still work as an architectural designer. Since early childhood I have always been looking for mediums to express creativity and only in 2020, I found the perfect medium: clay. Having been stripped away from social engagements and left alone with my thoughts, I found solace in creating sculptures that connected me to a large audience. At first sight they are playful, blobby and squishy objects that invite you to explore them from different angles. Yet upon further contemplation they become oxymorons, dramatically challenging gravity and balance with a rough raw clay texture that compliments the smooth, abstract yet pseudo-referential curves. This growing collection consists of about 15 sculptures and 9 vases. Vase No.3 was featured in Architectural Digest France in Oct 2020, as well as the 1000 vases show in Paris Design week, 2020. Currently, I am taking a break from my architecture career to build some pieces for a Danish gallery and expand my collection.
Good Curve / Incense holder
Sculpture no.12
Process The pieces are made by combining multiple methods including coil building throughout multiple days. The smallest ones could take 5-6 days whereas the larger pieces could take 9-10 days. This involves 6-7 days of geometry building, followed by 2-3 days of post production and sanding. Sculpture no.12 is 4”x10”x24”.
Sculpture no.11
Sculpture no.2
Sculpture no.8 &10
Sculpture no.13
Vase/Bowl in cream
Vase no.3 in cream
Sculpture no.14
Sculpture no.9
Sculpture no.6 in brown
Sculpture no.15 in brown
1000 Vases I was invited to participate in 1000 Vases show that took place September 9-13 in Le Marais during Paris Design Week.
1000 Vases Paris 2020
AD France Following the 1000 Vases exhibition, AD France selected a group of vases from the show to showcase in their October 2020 issue.