Curatorial notes
Anima Ehtiat created "The reputation of BlackBerry sellers" using ink and watercolor, a delicate rendering that belies its charged subject matter. During the 2010s, the BlackBerry was ubiquitous in Iran, offering a means of communication outside state control. Ehtiat intertwines themes of technology, gender, and cultural identity to portray a charged moment in recent Iranian history. She subtly challenges traditional representations of the female form. The plant-like image becomes a vessel for coded messages that weave through the red watercolor, a visual metaphor for underground conversations. The BlackBerry, then, was more than just a phone; it was a symbol of defiance and a tool for forging identities in the face of political limitations. The work touches on themes of surveillance and resistance, while also echoing the intimate, personal nature of communication.
