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Ala Ebtekar
"In my own work, I'm trying to find a visual glimpse of a crossroad where present day events meet history and mythology."
-- Ala Ebtekar
Ala Ebtekar is a visual artist whose large-scale line drawings explore the contrasts and similarities between contemporary hip hop culture and traditional Iranian culture. He was born in Berkeley to Iranian parents, and he attended the San Francisco Art Institute and earned an M.F.A. at Stanford University.
Spark caught up with Ebtekar as he created work for "Emergence" at the Richmond Art Center during the spring of 2006. In the exhibit, drawings based on vintage Iranian photographs of gymnasts and wrestlers are combined with images from hip hop culture in an exploration of heroic icons. In addition to drawings, the artist also creates installations and sculpture.
