From the human body’s neural connections to unseen water channels sustaining life in arid landscapes, the mysterious nature of invisible systems has always fascinated artist Parvin Hasani. “Hidden networks have always sparked my imagination and fueled my exploration of the intersections between art and science,” she says.
A Master’s student in UVic’s Visual Arts department, Parvin will soon be exploring deep-sea hydrothermal vents as the sixth Fine Arts graduate student selected for the Ocean Networks Canada ArtScience Fellowship. “My artistic practice began with exploring the idea of hidden networks,” she says.
After exploring the connection between neural networks and human memory for her Bachelor’s degree in Iran, Parvin then came to UVic to develop sculptural interpretations of ecological networks during her grad studies. “I was inspired by the idea of hidden water-management systems in Iran — where we have a thousand wells dating back more than 3,000 years that are all connected to each other beneath the earth — so focusing on water is part of my practice as well,” she says.
Exploring metaphoric parallels
All of that will come together this summer as Parvin explores the creative connections between memory, body and the environment through her conceptual sculptural practices. Specifically, she intends to use ONC’s oceanographic research on the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vent Field — an active, mineral-rich environment on the deep-sea Juan de Fuca Ridge — to draw metaphoric parallels between the rhythms of the ocean and the processes of the human body.
“It was interesting when I found out the hydrothermal vents looked like clustered chimneys, because visually they were similar to the wells in Iran,” she says. “I’m looking forward to learning about their surface texture and colour palette, because material exploration is a big part of my work. Researching the vent field data will also help me create my installation . . . scientific research has always informed my creative process—for example, during my undergrad, I created sculptures inspired by the structures of neurons, exploring how form carries meaning.”
By drawing on ONC’s research, Parvin’s sculptural installations will explore how unseen forces sustain both marine life and human experience, linking oceanic and bodily systems that shape identity and memory.
“Just as superheated, mineral-rich water rises from the seafloor, memory often lies beneath consciousness, waiting to surface,” she explains about the concept behind her residency. “This extreme ecosystem will be mirrored in sculptures embodying the rhythms of both the ocean and the body.”
September exhibition planned
With her ONC residency running May through August 2025, Parvin expects to have an exhibit and public presentation ready for early September. As a newcomer to Vancouver Island, Parvin is also excited to learn more about our coastal environments.
“The ocean has always been mysterious to me,” she says. “It’s kind of an unknown place that plays with the duality between surface and depths . . . I really wanted to explore how much the vastness of the of the water can inspire me to explore and push the boundaries of my work.”
Read about our previous Fine Arts graduate student ONC artistic residencies: Megan Harton, Neil Griffin, Colin Malloy, Dennis Gupa and Colton Hash,