FOR THE PEOPLE

Collaboration Project Mehrdad Mirzaie, Rembrandt Quiballo As artists, Rembrandt Quiballo and Mehrdad Mirzaie are brought together by their shared interest in lens-based work and their use of appropriation. Despite coming from different countries, both have experienced firsthand the social and political upheaval that has marked their respective societies. It is through their art that they seek to explore the complex and often tumultuous nature of these experiences. Quiballo was born in the city of Manila in the Philippines. Social and political unrest would compel his family to leave the country, eventually immigrating to the United States. His work explores mass media and its effects on social and political history through the moving image. Originally from Iran, Mirzaie’s artistic practice is a dynamic blend of photography and archival research. The driving force behind his projects is a deep curiosity and desire to understand history, particularly in the context of his society. Quiballo and Mirzaie consider revolution to be a universal entity, one that is shaped by the unique historical and cultural contexts of each society, but which ultimately speaks to the fundamental human the desire for freedom, justice, and equality. Through their collaborative work, they hope to engage viewers in a critical dialogue about the role of art in social and political change and to inspire new ways of thinking about the world around us. They believe that art has the power to transform both individuals and societies and that by coming together across cultural and national boundaries, they can create something truly transcendent.