DAUGHTER OF API
DAUGHTER OF API is a personal project inspired by my grandmother's life, her immigration journey, and the impact of water shortage in her hometown. I have vivid memories of her sitting on our Tehran balcony, calmly combing her long, beautiful hair. Her peaceful presence made me wonder about the thoughts in her mind and imagine her in her youthful days. Mamaei once lived in a charming village in the heart of the desert, where gardens, pomegranate, and almond trees thrived, thanks to the remarkable water source known as the Qanat. My grandmother held a deep affection for the Qanat, often sitting and gazing at it while combing her hair. However, everything changed due to a long-lasting lack of rain, and things worsened when drillers arrived, and the village factory disrupted their lives. The Qanat dried up, and Mamaei, like others, had to leave for the city. The longing for that lost garden, house, and Qanat stayed with her. Every evening on our balcony, she combed her hair, appearing peaceful, as if preparing for something special. Perhaps she was getting ready for a journey that took her away one afternoon, never to return. Yet, I still dream of Mamaei's village, picturing her in the garden and by the spring, happily combing her hair. DAUGHTER OF API is my heartfelt attempt to share this story, hoping it resonates with you as much as it does with me. Art and book by Neda Kazemifar, and text by Ilia Nick, augmented reality design by Ram Devineni. ISBN: 978-1-892494-72-6 (eBook)
Order Hardcover from Blurb / Apple iBooks / Google Books / Amazon Kindle / Scribd / Issuu / Kobo / E-Pub Version for Most eBook Readers / Mobi Version for Amazon / Download a PDF (Dropbox)
NEDA KAZEMIFAR was born and raised in Tehran, Iran where she received her BA in film Directing from Tehran Sooreh University. She had group fine art exhibitions in Florida and Los Angeles. She is currently works as a designer and performer at Chinese theater works, which has performed all over the world. She was the colorist for Priya’s Mask, Priya and the Lost Girls, Jupiter Invincible and Priya and the Twirling Wind.
“Daughters of Api” is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of New York State Governor and the New York State Legislature.
