Amir Sheikhvand
- 2907
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Toronto, Ontario
M4M1W8
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About
Born in Tehran, Amir Sheikhvand currently lives and works in Toronto. After completing his academic
education in biology and graphic design, he went on to study jewellery and graduated from Tehran’s
Gold Institute in 1994. He completed several apprenticeships with some of Iran’s masters in the field of
malilekary-filigree work - and minakary-miniature enamelling. He is a pioneer in the field of teaching
women the art of jewellery-making in Iran. Sheikhvand resumed his practice in Canada in 1999 after
several solo exhibits in Iranian galleries.
Sheikhvand has executed numerous outstanding pieces of fine jewellery for one of the most prestigious
design studios in Toronto. He is the co-founder of The Artexe Design Web Marketing Grants at
the Ontario Crafts Council. As an advisor he provides help to emerging craft artists at Harbourfront
Centre and is an active mentor for students at George Brown College. He is a member of Society of
North American Goldsmiths, Metal Arts Guild of Canada and Ontario Crafts Council board of directors.
Sheikhvand received numerous awards for his practice in Contemporary Art Jewellery and his work
has been exhibited nationally and internationally in both juried and invitational exhibitions at museums
and galleries such as Design Exchange, Valery Art Gallery, McMaster Museum of Art, Tom Thomson
Art Gallery, Ontario Crafts Council gallery, Arta gallery, Tehran Contemporary Museum of Art and
Harbourfront Centre.
The fusion of historical Persian artifacts/motifs and techniques with contemporary objects and cutting edge technology has been a hallmark of Amir Sheikhvand’s work since the late 1990’s. His contemporary jewelry unifies traditional influences with unconventional materials that are enhanced by an ongoing conceptual art practice.
Through the union of traditional Persian elements such as calligraphy, gilding and architectural motifs with metal, wood, rubber and elements of plastics, his dynamic wearable sculpture merge Eastern adornment and Western sensibilities.
Sheikhvand incorporates his past research in Iranian handicraft such as the Malileh-kary-Filigree's work and Minakary-miniature enameling techniques, providing a strong Eastern influence within the cubic and organic forms, industrial shapes, solid colors and neutral surfaces. His conceptual art installations have been exhibited both nationally and internationally, propelling his sculptural jewelry inspirations into a fine art gallery realm that unifies the world of contemporary fine art, design and craft.