Gonjeshkake Ashi Mashi by Zari Etemadi

Gonjeshkake Ashi Mashi
Zari Etemadi
Acrylic On Canvas
30.875"h x 24.875"w x 1.375"d - framed
2024

This piece from my Distorted Reality series uses the symbolism of a sparrow to explore themes of spirituality, freedom, and political oppression in Iran. In Iranian culture, the sparrow represents hope, resilience, and the soul's journey toward spiritual growth and transformation.

The piece is inspired by the old Persian political song Gonjishkake Ashi Mashi (Ashi Mashi Little Sparrow), which serves as a poignant warning to a sparrow that ventures too close to danger, risking its life in the pursuit of freedom and helping the less fortunate.

The song and my artwork reflect the reality that striving for freedom often comes with immense risk.

Get to Know the Artist:
Zari Etemadi’s creative path began in architecture, a discipline her parents encouraged over her early passion for art. She graduated as the first female and international valedictorian from the University of Tennessee’s School of Architecture, later joining Jung/Brannen Associates in Boston and contributing to landmark projects in Dubai, UAE.

Her transition into art came unexpectedly in 1998 when a commissioned artist withdrew from creating a large-scale work for the Dubai Police Academy Officers Club. Taking a leap of faith, Zari completed the 2.5-meter painting herself, her first exhibited piece, leading to numerous commissions for prestigious venues including Dubai Festival City, Jumeira Rotana Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, TNT, and XEROX, as well as private clients.

A self-taught artist, Zari works across styles and media, with gesture as a central thread. For her, gesture embodies both movement and the passage of time, each mark a record of memory, identity, and cultural inheritance. In recent years, her focus has turned to the cultural erosion of Iran after the 1979 revolution.

Now based in Austin, Texas, she merges ancient Persian textures, patterns, poetic symbolism, and political undercurrents to bridge past and present, beauty and loss, preserving the enduring spirit of her heritage.