Tracing Symmetries

‘Tracing Symmetries’ is a photographic exhibition by Safoura Zahedi at Urbanspace Gallery. The exhibit invites you into the world of Islamic geometry and to imagine a contemporary future for geometric art and architecture.

Through field research and travels to seventeen countries, 40 cities and counting — Zahedi traces the emergence and spread of Islamic patterns in architecture and handcrafts across major historic Islamic dynasties from the seventh to nineteenth century.

“Islamic geometry is alive and evolving. It has for centuries, its infinite permutations adapting to meet the current moment… For Safoura, the photography of beautiful places and patterns is not the end point. It is the departure.”

— Safoura Zahedi, as told to Barâa Arar in a visual essay published as a limited-edition zine supplement to the exhibition.

Join us at the following events for ‘Tracing Symmetries’, hosted by the Urbanspace Gallery at 401 Richmond:

– Opening Reception: Saturday, January 24 from 5PM to 8PM. Fireside chat with Safoura Zahedi and Barâa Arar starting at 6PM. RSVP by emailing [email protected]

– Geometry Tile Workshop: Saturday, January 31 from 11AM to 1:30PM; Max capacity 20 participants. Tickets to be released soon. Join the waitlist by
emailing [email protected]

– Closing Reception: Thursday, February 12; 5PM to 8PM.

For updates follow on Instagram @safourazahedi, and @365daysofgeometry

Safoura Zahedi is an artist, architect, educator, and the founder of SZS — an interdisciplinary art and design studio with a focus on creating spaces, sculptural installations, and public artworks that reimagine the role of geometry in contemporary placemaking.
Safoura’s multimodal practice blends art and architecture, craft and technology, spirituality and materiality, using geometry as a spiritual design tool to create spatial experiences that inspire connection to our natural world and across cultures. She teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University and the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (UK) and serves on the Executive Board of Building Equality in Architecture Toronto.

Learn more at www.safourazahedi.com