ZARVAN

ZARVAN, the ancient Persian deity of time, is a 23 foot interactive sculpture in the form of a monumental human head that explores perception, communication, and collective presence. Visitors can look through internal periscopes aligned with the eyes to experience the surrounding landscape through ZARVAN’s gaze. Integrated speaking tubes within the ears allow people on opposite sides of the sculpture to speak and listen through the structure itself, making the work a vessel for human connection and shared presence. Its luminous crown, inspired by traditional Persian stained glass, responds to human presence with shifting colored light, while the faceted steel body draws from Persian rug geometry and is hand painted with Persian rug motifs, embedding cultural memory into the form. Through sight, sound, and participation, ZARVAN becomes a living, responsive system.

ZARVAN’s body is covered with hand-painted motifs inspired by Persian carpets, patterns that are not merely decorative but deeply symbolic. In Persian culture, a carpet is a map of order, symmetry, balance, and cosmos, a structured visual language that transforms complexity into harmony. By integrating these motifs into the faceted steel surface, ZARVAN carries cultural memory directly within its form. The patterns are digitally designed and projected onto the sculpture through projection mapping, then hand-painted directly onto the steel surface to align precisely with the geometry of each panel. This process merges digital precision with manual craftsmanship, creating a seamless integration of heritage, structure, and contemporary fabrication.

See Through the Eyes:

Rear viewing windows connect to internal periscopes aligned with ZARVAN’s eyes, allowing participants to experience the surrounding environment from the sculpture’s perspective. This creates a literal shift in viewpoint, scale, and awareness. By stepping into the eyes of this monumental figure, the viewer becomes both observer and participant. Though simple in mechanism, the periscopes invite curiosity, gathering, and shared discovery, transforming the act of seeing into a collective experience.

Speak Through the Ears:

Integrated acoustic speaking tubes allow people on opposite sides of ZARVAN to speak directly through the sculpture. Using a simple analog system with no electronics, the work carries voices through its body, creating an intimate and unexpected exchange in public space. This element transforms ZARVAN into a participatory experience that invites curiosity, play, and human connection. It also reflects an important part of my artistic language: the integration of playground-like elements into monumental public art, using simple interactive gestures to encourage exploration, engagement, and shared human experience across generations.

The Crown - Collective Light Response:

ZARVAN’s illuminated crown responds dynamically to human presence and gathering. As individuals approach the sculpture, proximity sensors gradually activate and intensify the light, creating a direct relationship between movement and illumination. When a group gathers around the work, the crown shifts into a more dynamic lighting sequence that reflects collective presence and shared energy. Powered by a custom embedded control system and an off grid solar and battery infrastructure, the crown transforms human proximity into a resilient, self contained architectural light experience.

ZARVAN is deeply meaningful to me both personally and artistically. It allows me to honor my Persian heritage by bringing an ancient cultural and philosophical concept into contemporary public space as a living, interactive experience. More than a sculpture, it is a bridge between memory, identity, and human connection. It reflects the heart of my practice: creating works that merge art, engineering, light, and interaction to transform public space into a place of wonder, reflection, and shared meaning. Thank you for believing in this vision, for supporting this work, and for helping bring ZARVAN to life.