Exhibitions

Too Controversial. September 2023. TK Studios. Seattle, WA. 

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Shima Star's first solo exhibition, "Too Controversial," captures her vision of celebrating the female body while confronting the harsh realities that women endure.​​ The centerpiece of the exhibition, her series "Virgin Landscapes," draws inspiration from Courbet’s "Origin of the World." These vibrant and captivating abstractions of female anatomy merge the physical forms of women with the wonders of the natural world. Shima hopes to emphasize the inherent connection between women and nature and celebrates the diverse beauty of their bodies. However, the journey through the exhibition takes a turn towards a dystopian reality with her series, "Women at Work." The imagery depicts a woman in a vulnerable position, devoid of hands and feet, symbolizing a disturbing truth - the systemic deprivation of agency and control over women's bodies. Accompanied by the striking lettering, "women at work," the centerpiece evokes the imagery of a production line. Within this distorted realm, women are reduced to mere objects, stripped of autonomy and confined to their reproductive functions.​

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By juxtaposing the beauty of the "Virgin Landscapes" series with the unsettling portrayal of "Women at Work," Shima Star forces viewers to confront the stark contrast in how society treats and perceives women.