Elena Ksanti is a contemporary artist who specializes in abstract expressionism using the "fluid art" technique. Ksanti constructs her art pieces highlighting the duality of our planet and the disparities held within: Light and Dark; Yin and Yang; Good and Evil; Love and Hate; Happiness and Sorrow, etc. Ksanti views life as a world of contrasts, emotions, and possibilities. Touching on these topics and the gray areas in between, the artist actualizes these sentiments onto canvas for individual interpretation.

This lighthearted genius of pop culture wants to make people think as well. Every icon from our combined histories is fair game for deconstruction, from colorfully painted World War II Nazi helmets—“just a piece of  metal”—to cartoon renderings of historical figures from the Qajar dynasty. Marzban’s vivid imagination holds supreme sway over every endeavor. He has said that if he analyzes an undertaking, he would never finish it.

Fazzion creates pencil portraits as a way to give poetic expression to faces. A series of these portraits is dedicated to Italian actors. Another of her series is dedicated to Hollywood actors, such as Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd, or characters like the Joker, as portrayed by Oscar winner Jared Leto. As an artist, Fazzion has also developed – through Iranian friends and acquaintance – a great passion for the stunning art of Isfahan.

Jane Lee, aka Messy Desk, creates pieces that are full of joy, with her characters, animals, and happy faces interwoven between buildings. The pieces are carefully crafted, stroke after stroke, and the result is high-density landscapes with an explosion of color. Frantic as it might be at first glance, after close inspection, Messy Desk’s art is full of emotional stories, like treasures hidden in plain sight, waiting to be discovered. 

His creative process is a mixture of works on paper, acrylic paint, found objects and non-toxic hot glue, which creates a three-dimensional effect on any surface that gives a sense of realism and presence in his artwork. Darrell refers to this optical artistic illusion as “Definism,” which in his opinion portrays various differences in human nature from life’s everyday dramas to humankind’s quest to understanding the self.

Using different media, Hayes sheds light on the human condition as it relates to working-class African Americans, as well as larger communities of men and women. Raised in the South as part of a family that watched the 6-o’clock news, read Ebony and Jet, as well as the local newspapers, Hayes developed a strong interest in picture-making—the basic ideas of looking, recording, and interpreting—and portraiture early on.