Sugvari 2025
Sugvari is a performance delves into the personal and intimate aspects of grieving in life. Through a durational act, the artist engages with soil as a potent symbol of our origins and our inevitable return to the earth—'from dust we came, and to dust we shall return.'
Over the course of several hours, the artist methodically moves a pile of soil from one side of the site to the other. This slow, laborious process embodies the weight of grief work. The coldness, heaviness, and tactile engagement with the soil reflect the burdens of mourning. The act is intentionally systematic and slow-paced, emphasizing that grief is a gradual and methodical journey.
• Material: Soil is the primary material, representing life, death, and the cycle of existence.
• Method: The artist moves the soil with deliberate, slow motions, reinforcing the meditative and arduous nature of processing grief.
• Sound: Throughout the performance, the artist reads texts about their personal experiences with grief.
Note: The text above was written by the Artist. No modification was made by COCA.
Bahar Faraz
Sweden
As a conceptual artist, I delve into the intricate layers of inner life, exploring thoughts,
emotions, and experiences to better understand our connection to the world around us. My
work prioritizes content and concept over material, and I use diverse media such as
performance, video, and installation to bring these ideas to life. The medium I choose is
always in service of the concept, allowing flexibility and openness in how I communicate my
artistic vision.
My creative process is deeply personal and shaped by the unique events and perspectives of
my life as a woman, an Iranian, and a foreigner. These experiences inform and influence the
narratives I explore, offering a lens through which I examine identity, memory, and
transformation. I am inspired by the fluidity of personal and collective stories, finding
resonance in the interplay between the internal and external, the individual and the universal.
Through my art, I aim to bridge the gaps between these dualiti